The Morning Sports Briefing

Everton hammered in Merseyside derby

The pressure on Everton boss Roberto Martinez has intensified after his side produced yet another limp display in the Merseyside derby at Anfield last night.

The Toffees have a trip to Wembley on Saturday for the FA Cup semi-final and enjoyed a far from ideal preparation as they were routed 4-0 by Liverpool on a miserable evening.

Meanwhile their opponents at the weekend Manchester United warmed up for Wembley with a simple 2-0 win over Crystal Palace thanks to a Damien Delaney own goal and a Matteo Darmian screamer. Elsewhere West Ham kept their European hopes on track with a 3-1 win at home to Watford.

It’s as you were at the top of La Liga as Barcelona, Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid all won last night, with Barca thrashing a desperate Deportivo La Coruna side 8-0.

Judge’s journey back

Emmet Malone has spoken to Brentford and Ireland’s Alan Judge about the long road to recovery he faces after a leg break ended his Euro 2016 dream.

Top 50 Euros Moments

The European Championships are now just 50 days away, so today we begin a countdown of our top 50 Euros moments, the first one of which will be live on irishtimes.com/sport this afternoon.

Sonia O’Sullican column

In her column today Sonia O’Sullivan looks at the Cork women’s football team, and reflects on the injustice of an all-conquering side having to put up with second-rate facilities in comparison to their male counterparts.

Mary Hannigan speaks to Chloe Mustaki

Also in today’s Women in Sport section Mary Hannigan spoke to former Ireland Under-19s captain Chloe Mustaki about her battle with cancer and her journey back to the football pitch.

Mustaki was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 2014 and says the experience has changed her indefinitely, she said: “You’re never faced with the possibility of dying when you’re so young, that’s what changes your outlook on things, when you come close to an experience like that you’re just never the same.”

What to watch out for:

Football

Arsenal take on West Brom at the Emirates tonight (7.45pm ko)

Golf

Paul Dunne is in the field at the Shenzhen International (SS4 6am-10.30am) while Padraig Harrington is the lone Irish representative in the Texas Open (SS4 8pm-11pm)