The Carabao Cup semifinals are here and you can stream them live on ESPN+ over the next few days. But what will the first legs reveal when the teams clash? Nick Ames is your guide.

MANCHESTER UNITED vs. MANCHESTER CITY

Live on ESPN+, Tuesday 3 p.m. ET/8 p.m. GMT

The state of play

Manchester's red and sky blue halves face off in a tie that could theoretically kick-start their respective seasons. If the carrot of a Wembley final was not enough then the chance to assert local bragging rights should be sufficient motivation and City, in particular, have a recent score to settle. Last month United, in one of the best tactical displays of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's tenure, executed a supreme counter-attacking performance to beat City at the Etihad and drill yet another nail into the coffin of their title defence.

More of the same at Old Trafford would be a surprise and Guardiola surely has a plan to ensure City are not caught out badly again. But there is every incentive for Solskjaer to conjure up a repeat.

United remain woefully inconsistent and reserve their best displays for matches against opponents who push high and leave gaps at the back; if the Norwegian can get a tune out of his side this time, setting them up positively ahead of the second leg and then sending them to the final, it might just improve his long-term job prospects.

The key men

Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford played havoc on the break in that Premier League meeting and will surely be crucial to anything United can achieve on Tuesday night. Martial missed the weekend's FA Cup trip to Wolves through illness and Solskjaer will be desperately hoping his return to training on Monday passed with no further issues.

City can call upon Sergio Aguero, who was absent from their previous clash and might well have finished off one of their second-half chances, and may find United offer up more space on their own turf. But their defensive players will need to be sharp and it is the kind of occasion on which Rodri, so positionally astute in his deep midfield role, will need to drop in effectively and cover when United spring a fast break.

The big question

Can City get it right from the start this time?

In the league game at the Etihad they were 2-0 down within half an hour and more of the same, in front of a keyed-up Old Trafford crowd, could give them a mountain to climb. They will have noted how Arsenal blew United away in the first half on New Year's Day, before sitting in and exposing their inability to unlock a packed back line. A similar approach could pay dividends here.

Prediction: Man United 1-2 Man City

Guardiola is not to be outwitted twice and City should come away with a potentially decisive lead ahead of their home leg.

LEICESTER vs. ASTON VILLA

Live on ESPN+, Wednesday 3 p.m. ET/8 p.m. GMT

The state of play

A look at the league table suggests this a mismatch. Villa are scrambling to stay away from the relegation zone while Leicester have mounted the closest approximation to competition for runaway leaders Liverpool, against all odds.

Brendan Rodgers' side may have stuttered slightly around Christmas -- although everything is relative given their tremendous streak of form in the autumn, which included a deserved win at Villa Park -- but they should be at full tilt for this semifinal and know that a Carabao Cup triumph would underline the rapid progress they have made over the last 12 months.

Villa's position is more uncertain, with long-term injuries to Wesley and Tom Heaton harming their cause and the absence of John McGinn, their best player over the season so far, a major blow. They are slightly fortunate to be here given that they were faced with a scratch Liverpool side owing to the Merseysiders' Club World Cup priorities in the last eight. But Dean Smith made a number of changes for the weekend's FA Cup third round defeat to Fulham and they will be well rested.

A clash between Midlands rivals, with the stakes this high, means all bets may be off.

The key men

This feels like a clash of the Premier League's two most vaunted young playmakers. James Maddison and Jack Grealish have both had tremendous seasons and it would take a bid north of £50m to prise either away. Both have been linked strongly with moves to Manchester United, in particular. But who can wield the most influence here?

Maddison slots beautifully into what, for all their flair and invention, is a tightly-wound Leicester unit and will be expected to pull the strings on Wednesday. A little more heavy lifting may be required of Grealish, particularly given Villa's injury woes, but this is the kind of high-octane occasion he thrives on.

Villa will also need to hope those around him are up to the job. Can Jonathan Kodjia, who put Liverpool's youngsters to the sword last month, step up and prove he can answer their striking problems against top opponents? And can Tyrone Mings, one of the revelations of this top-flight season, stop Jamie Vardy in his tracks?

The big question

Can Villa get themselves a foothold in the tie? They have not kept a clean sheet away from home all season and, against a side that has only failed to score three times 26 games, will need to find a way of keeping things tight. With that December blip seemingly behind them, Leicester will sense an opportunity to make the return game at Villa Park feel relatively comfortable.

Prediction: Leicester 2-0 Aston Villa

Leicester will give themselves a solid advantage in a well-contested, competitive game to edge nearer to a first trophy under Rodgers.

Neil Snowball, the Warwickshire chief executive, will become the ECB's new Managing Director of County Cricket.

The 53-year-old Snowball, who joined Warwickshire at the beginning of 2016, is expected to remain at the club during their search for his successor and take up his new role later in the year, with former MCC chief executive Derek Brewer standing in at the ECB in the interim. Snowball replaces Gordon Hollins, who announced in October that he would be leaving the job this month.

"It is a huge honour to be entrusted with such an important role within the game and I look forward to continuing to work closely with the many talented and dedicated people across the cricket network," Snowball said. "I've been fortunate to have worked with so many incredible people at Warwickshire and will always look forward to returning to Edgbaston in my new role."

Before joining Warwickshire, Snowball held positions with England Rugby for the 2015 Rugby World Cup, the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and investment bank Goldman Sachs.

ECB chief executive officer Tom Harrison described Snowball as "the outstanding choice" for the role, which will involve growing and developing domestic cricket in England and Wales and managing relationships between the ECB and the domestic and recreational game.

"This is an exciting time for cricket with £500 million set to be invested into the network over the next five years as we look to support and nurture the core, grow the game and make sure that cricket remains relevant for generations to come," Harrison said.

Warwickshire chairman Mark McCafferty said: "We were very disappointed to receive Neil's resignation. However, we appreciate that it's an excellent opportunity for him as he pursues the next phase of his career."

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Tom Brady's future is not only the biggest story in the NFL in the coming months, but maybe in all of sports.

It is rare, but not unprecedented, that such an iconic figure finds himself in this situation: a free agent who made $23 million in 2019 with the leverage to dictate his destination. Adding further intrigue is that it is unknown to what extent New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick values Brady's return.

Will Brady, 42, be back with the Patriots for a 21st season? Or should New England fans prepare themselves to see Brady in a different uniform in 2020?

Let's break down the situation:

How did we get to this point?

Brady and the Patriots failed to come to an agreement on a true extension by August, so they adjusted the contract to give him a raise in 2019. As part of the adjusted contract, the Patriots included two voidable years in 2020 and 2021 for salary-cap purposes. The voidable years ensured Brady would become a free agent after the 2019 season. The adjusted contract also prohibited the Patriots from assigning Brady the franchise tag, which would have guaranteed Brady the average salary of the top five highest-paid players at his position or 120% of his salary from the previous year (whichever of the two amounts is higher).

Does Brady want to stay?

Brady hasn't decisively answered that question publicly, although he was open to signing a true multiyear extension as of last offseason. How the dynamics have changed for him since -- after the sides couldn't reach a deal, the Pats went through a 12-4 season in which they were disappointingly light on offensive firepower around their quarterback and the team ended its campaign with a wild-card loss Saturday -- is an unknown. Family considerations will be a notable part of his decision-making process.

Does Belichick want him back?

Only one person has the answer -- he often wears a hoodie and his initials are B.B. -- and he isn't tipping his hand. Here's what Belichick said during his season-ending news conference Sunday regarding Brady:

"I want to give the proper attention and communication and detail and thought into my input into those decisions," he said. "But any decision made is not an individual decision. There are other people involved. There has to be some type of communication, understanding, agreement, whatever you want to call it. That's not a one-way street. I hope you can understand that. One person can't just decide what everybody else is going to do.

"There's a lot of time, thought and effort and communication that goes into that. Now is not the time."

But any decision regarding Brady, or any player, usually comes down to one question with Belichick: At what cost? The coach has made the unpopular decision to move away from franchise quarterbacks in the past (Bernie Kosar to Vinny Testaverde in Cleveland; Drew Bledsoe to Brady in New England), and he has a history of removing emotion in personnel decisions he views as best for the team.

Is there a timetable for a decision?

Brady becomes a free agent on March 18. The sides can always strike an extension before that date, although sources say there have been no talks since August. If Brady does not sign a new deal by March 18, the team would take on $13.5 million in dead cap space. If a deal is struck after that date, it would still stay on the cap. So, if the Patriots move to retain him, there would be some urgency to do so before March 18. However, if Brady takes visits to other teams after March 18, it wouldn't necessarily mean the door is closed on a return to New England; there have been situations in the past where free agents visit/negotiate with other teams before returning (for example, current captains Dont'a Hightower, Devin McCourty and Matthew Slater).

What role does team owner Robert Kraft play?

A significant one. Just as Kraft brought NFL players and ownership together to help end the 2011 lockout, which has earned him a reputation as a bridge builder worthy of Pro Football Hall of Fame consideration, he has a similar challenge in keeping the Brady-Belichick partnership alive for a 21st season. Kraft wouldn't want to alienate Belichick by forcing a decision on him. But with "hope and prayer" that Brady stays, Kraft is ultimately the one who has the power to ensure it happens. It's a delicate balance.

Is there an ideal fit for Brady outside New England?

The Tennessee Titans could offer something no other club can: a coach in Mike Vrabel who is one of Brady's best friends; a Derrick Henry-led power running game (assuming Henry re-signs) to help take the load off Brady in his quest to play until he is 45; and more explosive options at wide receiver and tight end than he currently has in New England. The Titans also have an abundance of cap space at their disposal. So it is hard to imagine a better fit than that, with the caveat of family/personal considerations hovering over any decision. One thing possibly working against Brady with a Titans scenario, however, is that Ryan Tannehill has been excellent since taking over as the starter this year, and the club reportedly has expressed interest in locking up Tannehill long term.

Because of Brady's California roots and the fact that he spends time training there in the offseason, some point to the Los Angeles Chargers as another intriguing possibility. He certainly would help the Chargers sell tickets. But Brady has limited connection to anyone in the organization, which might give him pause when compared to a situation such as that with the Titans.

Would Brady follow Josh McDaniels to a new team?

Unlikely. If McDaniels landed with the Browns, the position already is accounted for with Baker Mayfield. Ditto for the New York Giants with Daniel Jones. So the other option would be the Carolina Panthers, with whom Cam Newton's future is uncertain. While some have speculated on a McDaniels-Brady package with Carolina, there also is a line of thinking that the two could see a benefit in branching out from each other. Add it all up and the odds of a McDaniels-Brady package deal are long.

What talent upgrades do the Patriots need to help Brady?

More speed and dynamic playmaking ability at wide receiver to complement Julian Edelman, 2019 first-round pick N'Keal Harry, veteran Mohamed Sanu and 2019 undrafted free agent Jakobi Meyers. Then more of a consistent pass-catching presence at tight end. The return of starting center David Andrews (he spent 2019 on injured reserve) should have a positive trickle-down effect on the offensive line, as that upgrade already is in-house.

If Brady leaves, what about backup Jarrett Stidham?

In the preseason, Stidham had some around the organization as excited as they have been since drafting Jimmy Garoppolo in 2014 that they potentially had found an heir apparent. The Patriots didn't know for sure about Garoppolo until his second season, so there is still a lot that has to fall in place for Stidham to reach that point. But he did everything possible to put himself in good position, as he didn't miss a practice all season.

ATLANTA -- Nikola Jokic wasn't keeping track of his points as the night wore on. He just knew he was scoring a lot.

"I never know that," he said. "I just liked the flow of the game. I think I made a few shots and got to the line a little bit, and I think the flow was really good for me."

Jokic scored a career-high 47 points, Will Barton added a season-best 28, and the Denver Nuggets held off the Atlanta Hawks 123-115 on Monday.

The Nuggets, coming off a surprising loss at Washington two nights earlier, have won four of six to improve to 25-11, second in the Western Conference. Atlanta, worst in the NBA at 8-29, has dropped 11 of 13.

Trae Young finished with 29 points, and Kevin Huerter had 22 for the Hawks.

Jokic's previous career high of 41 points was set Nov. 7, 2017, at home against Brooklyn. His previous season high of 31 came at home nine days ago against Memphis.

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Jokic is the third center with 45 points and no turnovers in a game, joining Shaquille O'Neal (Nov. 9, 1994, at Hornets) and Moses Malone (April 8, 1987, at Nets). Turnovers were first tracked in 1977-78.

"We go as he goes," Barton said. "I feel like no one can stop him."

Jokic surpassed his previous career high with a putback that gave Denver a 114-109 lead with 3:14 remaining. Jamal Murray followed with a turnaround jumper in the lane, and Barton put back his own miss to put the Nuggets up 118-109 at the 1:57 mark.

That essentially ended all hopes for the Hawks, but it wasn't entirely easy for Denver.

After John Collins' dunk cut the lead to 91-88 just 22 seconds into the fourth quarter, Nuggets coach Michael Malone called a timeout. Monte Morris followed with a runner, and Michael Porter Jr. jammed in a putback to make it 95-88.

The Hawks cut the margin to one before Barton found Morris for an alley-oop and hit a 3-pointer to make it 106-100 with 6:54 remaining. Atlanta pulled within two on Young's 35-footer with 4:24 left, and Malone called another timeout. The move worked, as the Hawks made just three field goals the rest of the way.

Huerter's second straight 3 cut the lead to two at the 6:07 mark of the third, and then Malone called a timeout. Jokic quickly followed with a jumper, then stole the ball in the lane from Alex Len to set up Murray's two free throws.

"Jokic is definitely a very skilled player," Collins said. "I felt like he got to the line a lot tonight, which gave him a little bit of a boost, but I still feel like down the stretch and for four quarters, we did a solid job just trying to make him take tough shots. We did the best we could."

Jerami Grant's three-point play made it 36-34 at the 9:37 mark of the second, and the Nuggets didn't trail again. About three minutes later, Grant rebounded a missed Hawks shot and drove for a layup that gave Denver its first double-digit lead.

Murray's layup in the final second put the Nuggets up by nine at halftime.

TIP-INS

Nuggets: Murray and Barton both returned after overcoming minor injuries that caused them to leave in the third. Murray, who finished with 16 points after scoring a season-high 39 at Washington, knelt down before walking off the floor after getting tangled up on Len's hard screen. Barton's right knee knocked against De'Andre Hunter's knee early in the third. ... Murray missed a free throw in the third, ending a streak of 37 straight makes from the foul line. ... It was Barton's 29th birthday. ... Denver outrebounded the Hawks 40-34 and has won 12 straight and 17 of 19 when leading on the boards. ... The Nuggets are 7-4 in games decided by 10 or fewer points.

Hawks: Young made a dazzling move early in the fourth, faking a behind-the-back pass as he was driving past Morris and Porter to dribble the ball between his legs before making a right-handed layup. ... F Vince Carter, a 42-year-old in his final season, jumped in the lane to block Gary Harris' dunk attempt out of bounds midway through the fourth. ... F Jabari Parker, the team's third-leading scorer, missed his fourth straight game due to a right shoulder impingement.

AVENGED

The Nuggets lost 125-121 to the Hawks at home in mid-November, as Young had 42 points and 11 assists. Denver had dropped nine of 11 in Atlanta.

"The Hawks beat us on our home court," Barton said. "We had to come in and handle business."

UP NEXT

Nuggets: At the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday.

Hawks: Host the Houston Rockets on Wednesday.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Even when we are fairly confident about who the best teams in Major League Baseball are entering a new season, reality has a way of making itself felt. Nobody thought the Tampa Bay Rays or the Minnesota Twins were weak teams entering 2019, but I doubt many would have taken the over if the over/under for those teams had been 95 wins.

We're now two-thirds of the way from the World Series to pitchers and catchers reporting, and while there are still free agents remaining, most of the big signings have already been made. We don't know everything, but we have a good idea as to what most teams will look like, so it's time for us to guess which also-ran, rebuilding teams, or even fringe contenders can step up in a big way in 2020.

Before we get to the ranking of baseball's best shortstops, a story about an All-Star second baseman.

A few years ago, the Houston Astros' staff encouraged batting champion Jose Altuve to be more patient at the plate. The staffers assured Altuve they weren't asking him to hunt walks, but they believed if Altuve could refrain from swinging at some really bad pitches, he would put himself in better ball-strike counts, draw a few more walks and compel opponents to throw the ball over the plate. In this way, he'd give himself a better chance to do damage when he did swing.

If pitchers and catchers believe you'll hack at pitches outside the zone, the staffers noted, they'll keep working outside the zone. Altuve adjusted, and yep, he's doing more damage.

It's remarkable how many among an exceptional group of shortstops in this era could be helped by making the same adjustment that Altuve made -- and for some of them, it could be the difference between being really good and being the best.

Case in point: the Cubs' Javier Baez.

Full-back Will Addison has dismissed talk of international selection as pointless until the Champions Cup group stage is complete.

Addison's Ulster meet Clermont this weekend in a Pool Three showdown, with the winner likely to top the group.

Defeat would not be terminal for Ulster, who have won all four group matches to date, but would hamper their chances of a home quarter-final.

The province will end the group stage at home to Bath on 18 January.

Addison, 27, impressed in Ulster's recent inter-provincial wins over Connacht and Munster having returned from a four-match ban that he was handed for a dangerous tackle in his side's home win over Clermont.

His form, a continuation of a strong albeit injury-hit debut season with Ulster in 2018-19, has put him firmly in the frame to feature in Ireland's upcoming Six Nations campaign.

Long-time starting full-back Rob Kearney's omission from new head coach Andy Farrell's pre-Christmas training session has prompted debate over who will wear Ireland's number 15 jersey next month.

"It's a compliment," said Addison of calls for his inclusion in the international set-up.

"But I'd say if you look down the road to Leinster and down again to Limerick, Jordan Larmour and Mike Haley are in brilliant form as well."

Ulster have been in impressive form this season, winning 11 of their 14 games to find themselves well placed in Europe and the Pro14.

Addison has emerged as an influential figure in the province's set-up since joining from Sale in the summer of 2018, and appears to have settled at full-back having spent time at wing and centre.

"From the moment I came here, I was looking to get success with the club team," he said.

"I've never won a trophy in my career at club level, so it's something that we've been doing from the ground up.

"It's a good place to be, anywhere that is winning is going to breed confidence."

Ulster ready for Clermont 'cup final'

Having defeated a strangely subdued Clermont in Belfast in November, Ulster know a much stiffer test awaits when they visit Stade Marcel Michelin on Saturday.

With four bonus points to Ulster's one, any sort of win for the French side would put them firmly in pole position to top the group.

"It feels like a cup final and I'm sure Clermont will feel the exact same," Addison said.

"You don't need to be a mathematician to have a look at the pool and see we're the two teams competing at the top of the table.

"You have to go there as a really tight unit because there's not going to be too many voices in that Clermont crowd this weekend that are shouting for us."

Ian Vass has returned to Northampton Saints as defence coach, replacing Alan Dickens who left the club last year.

Vass, 38, played 57 senior games for Saints in two spells and moves back to Northampton after working as defence and skills coach at Montpellier.

His stint in France came after serving as England Under-20 head coach and working as academy coach at Saracens.

"It's great to bring someone of Ian's calibre onboard," Saints director of rugby Chris Boyd told the club website.

"He's passionate about learning and about improving players. I've no doubt he will bring a high level of skill and knowledge to our existing English coaching group."

Vass will take over from Jake Sharp, who served as interim defence coach at Franklin's Gardens after Dickens left to become the new England Under-20 head coach in November 2019.

"I am very excited about the direction in which Saints are heading and where they want to go under Chris Boyd," Vass said.

"This is a massive opportunity for me, and I can't wait to get stuck in."

Juventus director Fabio Paratici has said Manchester United target Emre Can will not leave the club in January.

Sources have told ESPN that United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was targeting a move for Can and Newcastle midfielder Sean Longstaff in January.

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Due to the size of Juventus' squad, Can was one of the notable omissions from manager Maurizio Sarri's Champions League group-stage squad but Paratici said they will not allow the Germany international to go.

"He is stay with us," Paratici told Sky Sport Italia when asked about Can's future. "He is one of the most coveted midfielders.

"He has some opportunities and so do we, but I think he can be an important player for our project."

Another player rumoured to be leaving Juventus in January is summer arrival Adrien Rabiot, who has struggled to nail down a place in Sarri's side. However, Paratici defended the ex-Paris Saint-Germain midfielder's performances, following a long period without playing time.

"Rabiot arrived after eight months of inactivity and it's normal that he is only just recovering physically, adapting to different training rhythms and to a new country," Paratici added. "Logically, he struggled at first but he has always produced interesting performances.

"Also, the last three he played in succession and well. At Genoa [where Juve beat Sampdoria 2-1] he played well and, for me, was the best player on the pitch so we are hopeful.

"We have always been calm and convinced he us an important player. He already was at PSG, so we're certainly not just finding out now. It is a certainty, not a doubt."