FA Cup: Is Tottenham’s name on the trophy or can Arsenal end their trophy drought?

While the FA Cup holders Manchester City and Premier League champions Manchester United have been knocked out of the world’s most-loved cup competition, Harry Redknapp’s Tottenham Hotspur have breezed through to the fifth round of the FA Cup. They saw off Cheltenham 3-0 at the Lane before just edgin...

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Chelsea Head Arsenal In Champions League Betting

Chelsea may have been struggling for form in the league but the bookmakers still feel the Champions League trophy has more chance of ending up in the Stamford Bridge trophy room than the equivalent at the Emirates Stadium. Their dimissal of Valencias challenge to ensure qualification - and the robu...

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Manchester Clubs Dominate Europa League Betting

They may not want to even be in the competition but Manchester City and Manchester United have immediately been installed at the head of the betting for the Europa League. Punters will have to try and second guess just how much effort the two clubs will put into winning the competition. Both should...

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Can Paolo Di Canio Win A Trophy With Swindon?

Putting Paolo Di Canio in charge at Swindon Town was always likely to be something of a gamble. The Italian is the walking definition of the term mercurial and is always liable to end up in some form of controversy. When he got into an on-field barney with one of his strikers, everyone sucked in th...

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Can Arsenal or Liverpool will win the Carling Cup?

It’s getting down to the business end of the Carling Cup and the quarter-final draw has produced some mouth-watering games. The pick of the bunch are rejuvenated Arsenal taking on Premier League leaders Manchester City at the Emirates and Kop kings Liverpool hosting AVB’s Chelsea. But who is the sma...

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Can Arsenal end their trophy woe by lifting the Carling Cup?

Arsenal lost the Carling Cup final to Birmingham City last season in the dying moments of the match and the Gunners have failed to erase it from their memories. They have made their worst start to a league seasons in decades and many people have already written off their chances of winning the Premi...

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Who will win the Champions League 2011/12?

Spanish giants Barcelona are attempting to make history this season. In May they destroyed Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United to win the Champions League, but no team has managed to keep hold of the famous trophy since it was renamed 20 years ago. However, the bookies firmly believe Pep Guardiola...

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Arsenal at better than 6/1 for a league game?

I know that Arsenal have started the season slowly but to see bet365 offer 6/1 for Arsenal to win a league game against any opposition must be a first for an Arsenal team managed by Arsene Wenger. Paddy Power are also offering a money back guarantee in the event of an Arsenal win*. Which are unprece...

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Sergio Aguero 3/1 to win Golden Boot

Manchester City’s Sergio Aguero took less than 30 minutes to get the attention of the fans in the Premier League. The former Atletico Madrid man scored twice on his debut and created another for team-mate David Silva against Swansea City in a display that will have defenders up and down the country ...

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Will Rooney or Van Persie win the Golden Boot?

The Golden Boot was shared last season between Manchester United’s Dimitar Berbatov and Manchester City’s Carlos Tevez with 20 goals apiece, but who will be the top marksman in this season? The bookies believe the accolade will remain in Manchester with United’s hot Mexican sharpshooter Javier Hern...

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Who will win the Premier League 2011/12?

Manchester United start their defence of the Premier League title on Sunday away at West Bromwich Albion and the Red Devils are clear favourites among the bookies to keep hold of their crown. Sir Alex Ferguson has opened the chequebook this summer to bring Phil Jones, Ashley Young and David De Gea ...

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Arsenal: Gervinho betting special

Arsene Wenger shelled out £10 million for the Ivory Coast international Gervinho during the summer and hopes are high that the former Lille star can be a success at the Emirates. So much so that bookmaker Victor Chandler has a range of specials available to anyone wanting to take a punt on the ...

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Premier League: Blackburn’s Steve Kean is top for the chop

Who would want to be a Premier League manager? You have to deal with players who are at least 10 times wealthier than you, agents trying to flog you a guy from Ghana for £10 million, who is as fast as lightning but has never kicked a ball in his life, and chairmen who expect success as of yesterday,...

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League One: Who will be the first manager to be axed?

The 2011/12 season is just days away and everyone is optimistic of a bright season for their club, but it won’t be long before the first League One manager is thrown on the managerial merry go-round. Fortunately, those mischievous guys at Victor Chandler have already opened a book on who will be the...

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League One: Who will be champions in May 2012?

Gus Poyet’s Brighton Hove Albion strolled to the League One title last season, but who will follow the Seagulls up to the Championship at the end of this campaign? Following the success of Brighton, Southampton and Peterborough United last time round, the bookies firmly believe it will be the turn ...

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Championship: Who will be the first manager to leave their job?

The 2011/12 season hasn’t even kicked off yet but those mischievous blokes at Victor Chandler have already opened a book on who will be the first manager in the Championship to be axed or leave his post. However, one thing’s for sure, it won’t be long until somebody does find themselves out of a job...

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Championship: Who will win promotion to the Premier League?

West Ham United were the biggest casualty from the top flight last season and it’s no surprise to see Big Sams men are among the favourites to bounce straight back up. The former Newcastle United and Blackburn Rovers boss has added English grit to his squad in Kevin Nolan and Matt Taylor and they wi...

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SPL: Who will be the first manager to leave his post?

The new season hasn’t even kicked off yet but William Hill have already begun taking bets on who will be the first managerial casualty in the SPL. The bookies have a three-way tie at the top with St Johnstone’s Derek McInnes, Hearts’ Jim Jeffries and Kilmarnock’s Kenny Shiels all at 4/1, all for to...

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SPL: Who will win the Scottish title?

For the past 26 years it’s really been a toss of a coin as to who will be crowned champions of Scotland, with the Old Firm pairing of Celtic and Rangers dominating the landscape north of the border. Ally McCoist’s Rangers are the current holders, but Neil Lennon will be desperate to prise the title ...

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Can Darren Bent end season as league’s top scorer?

Darren Bent’s decision to leave European hopefuls Sunderland for relegation threatened Aston Villa has shocked the football world, but the former Spurs striker insists his decision to leave the Stadium of Light is purely a football reason. Many cynics may not agree – preferring to look at his huge i...

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Premier League sack race: Hodgson tipped to be next for the boot

What an awful start to the new year it has been for some Premier League managers. Chelsea’s Carlo Ancelotti has found life tough without Ray Wilkins, Avram Grant was brought back down to earth with an almighty thud against Newcastle United and Gerard Houllier is already under intense pressure at Ast...

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Mancini leads the way in the Premier League sack race

Tottenham Hotspur boss Harry Redknapp was livid after his side’s midweek draw with Sunderland. However, it had nothing to do with the lack of commitment or effort from his players ‑ he thought they were terrific ‑ it was the fans’ decision to boo them off that enraged the Spurs chief so much. And yo...

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Loss of Schwarzer for Fulham points to Bolton win

With the team news now in it seems that Mark Schwarzer may be on the verge of a switch to Arsenal as he is not in the Fulham match day squad for the game at Bolton. David Stockdale is in goal with Pascal Zuberbuhler on the bench. Interestingly with Shay Given on the bench for Man City today, Arsen...

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Who will be the Premier League’s top goalscorer?

Goals win games so it’s no wonder Chelsea won the league last season with Didier Drogba in sparkling form. The Ivory Coast forward found the back of the net an astonishing 29 times in 32 league appearances just edging out Manchester United’s star man Wayne Rooney with 26. So will the England marksma...

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Can Newcastle finish above Sunderland?

The fierce Tyne-Wear derby is back on the agenda this season and the fans in the north east just can’t wait for October 31 to arrive. That will be the day Newcastle host Sunderland for the first time in more than a year and while both sets of fans would sell their grannies to ensure victory just who...

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Blackpool Odds On To Finish Bottom

When every Premiership season starts, the smart money is on promoted clubs going straight back to the Championship, just as Burnley did last season. However, Hull City defied those predictions and managed two campaigns in the top flight. There is an extraordinary uniformity in the views of the lead...

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Lambert Backed To Fire Saints To League One Title

After tough times at St Marys, Southampton fans were able to take a great satisfaction from 2009/10. Despitea ten point penalty the team clambered into seventh place in League One and the fans had a trip to Wembley to enjoy, lifting the Johnstones Paint Trophy. After New Year, the season had the fe...

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Middlesbrough Installed As Championship Favourites

The betting for this seasons npower Championship is wide open because at least two of the teams relegated from the Premiership arent expected to dominate the division. Neither Portsmouth or Hull City are in position to do what Newcastle United managed last term, even with the parachute largesse. Bu...

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Who Will Be Top Dogs In The Midlands?

Just a few years ago the Midlands representation in the Premiership was decimated leaving Aston Villa as the only real standard bearers for that part of the country. The East is still suffering but in 2010 the West is back with a vengeance. The traditional Big 4 of the West Midlands conurbation are...

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Manchester City should get Mancini off to a winning start

When all the fuss dies down over Roberto Mancini's quick replacement of Mark Hughes there will be no excuses available if the players fail to give their all. Being upset at the loss of a manager is one thing - playing poorly is quite another. Add to that the fact that the majority of players at Ea...

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Expect Manchester City to beat Arsenal

The stakes are different for Arsene Wenger and Mark Hughes ahead of tonight's League Cup tie; whereas Mark Hughes is fighting off the latest speculation about his tenure Wenger is progressing serenely through the season - even if some pundits are over-egging his difficulties. With a weakened strike...

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Is a shock Besiktas win at Manchester United possible?

Anyone who saw the lacklustre Manchester United display for an hour against CSKA Moscow must be wondering whether a United side that has already qualified will somehow show more commitment? Although Sir Alex Ferguson is unlikely to accept another below par performance he is also likely to rest some...

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Will the summer swapsies of Eto'o for Ibrahimovic bite Barcelona tonight?

There is always a group of death. Pick a series of at least 4 mini-leagues using the fairest system you can dream up (that simultaneously helps all the richest clubs from the richest footballing leagues) and one will always look nasty. But enough of Group A, where Bayern Munich look likely to be e...

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Has Rafa Benitez been saving Aquilani for tonight?

Rafa Benitez has been easing Alberto Aquilani into action since signing him in the summer. But the £20m signing will surely get a start soon. His season in the first team has consisted of 15 minutes at the end of the League Cup defeat to Arsenal at the end of October and the final 7 minutes in the...

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Arsenal should score at least three tonight

Arsenal should complete their qualification for the Champions' League knockout stages with a routine win over Standard Liege tonight, and in winning Arsenal will also simplify the next stage of the tournament by winning the group. Back in September it looked somewhat different when the Belgian team...

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Gareth Barry is a good price to score against Brazil

With only Wayne Rooney and Gareth Barry available from the strongest first eleven that England could put out today there are obvious opportunities. Of course everyone is right to consider the chances for fringe players (even if the likes of Luke Young scorned even this chance) - but there is also a...

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Monogamy and getting good value betting

A comment this morning from sammydead on the Everton look best value for a top 5 finish article I wrote last night set me thinking. What is good value betting? Interestingly its not the first suggestion that's been made questioning honesty. Which is odd really, as the tips are free and only someo...

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Drogba and Anelka look good each way value for Champions' league top scorer

With Didier Drogba having completed his European ban he looks fired up for another tilt at The Champions' League. After being sent off in the final two years ago and then banned for his outburst following semi-final defeat last season Drogba needs to show a little more coolness under fire if he wan...

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Everton look best value for a top 5 finish

Even at this early stage of the season the top three of Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United look nailed on to finish in some order within the top three. Liverpool is a conundrum wrapped in an enigma stuck in a box labelled 'riddle'. But given the gentlemans' excuse me going on between the prete...

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Michael Owen could dream a dream against CSKA

Michael Owen's dreams do not concern scoring the winning goal for England in the World Cup final - and that's official. In fact Owen barely thinks about England at all, as his quotes about England that he made yesterday make clear. "I don't go to bed thinking about if I will play for England again...

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Strong Chelsea team should see off Bolton

Chelsea has named a strong line-up for tonight's League Cup game with Bolton; and unusually named in well in advance. It's almost as if Carlo Ancelotti has decided that Bolton will field a weakened side and that Chelsea will get the job done regardless of the exact nature of the opposition. It is ...

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Ngog could be the matchwinner for Liverpool at Arsenal

It was evident last night when Manchester United made 11 changes and still beat Barnsley 2-0 that the major clubs have such dominant squads that the only real danger that they face is if they either don't take this competition seriously, play extremely poorly or come across another major club. Only...

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Manchester United look for a reaction at Barnsley

Barnsley lie 20th in the Championship and surely Ipswich and Reading have too much quality to remain mired in the relegation zone for much longer. Barnsley is coming off the backs of defeats to Bristol City (3-2) and Nottingham Forest (1-0) and Mark Robins will be considering the merits of the leag...

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Spurs face latest test of credentials against Stoke

It's almost as if Spurs must pass a test every week to prove that this isn't another false dawn. Whether it's playing a 'big four' side (say Liverpool or Man United), travelling to a tough northern team (say Bolton) the tests are there. Interestingly this should be a more straightforward fixture (...

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Worth A Punt On Bent To Be Premiership Topscorer

The Premiership season is taking shape and Steve Bruces Sunderland are a force to be reckoned with, not least because the Darren Bent/Kenwyne Jones strike pairing has 13 goals already. New signing Bent has eight of them, making him joint top scorer in the division with Fernando Torres. The former T...

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Arsenal set to qualify tonight against an inconsistent AZ

Arsenal has so many injuries for the short trip to Holland that the first team kind of picks itself and a couple of days short of Arsene Wenger's 60th birthday (when he plans to watch the 5 referee experiment in the Europa League) the team will be youthful. Missing Rosicky, Walcott, Nasri, Fabiansk...

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Liverpool capable of facing home truths with Lyon

Liverpool (5/6) starts as odds on favourites to beat Lyon (15/4) tonight and avoid a fourth straight defeat - which last happened in April 1987 under Kenny Dalglish. If you want an omen then Dalglish is hardly a bad man to follow. Liverpool's home record is a great comfort after three straight awa...

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The Manchester derby and and the exorcism of the Mourinho ghost

A pulsating Manchester derby was followed by a more anodyne affair in west London when Chelsea beat Tottenham. The Chelsea win was fairly comfortable, despite an obvious penalty being ignored by the referee - to be honest, such is the remorseless nature of this Chelsea team I'm not convinced that t...

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Pre-season progress report: Huddersfield Town v Coventry City

League One met the Championship in West Yorkshire on Saturday as Huddersfield Town entertained Coventry City in the latest pre-season fixture for both clubs. Huddersfield appointed Lee Clark as manager last season and after a settling in period, the highly-rated former Newcastle coach and Norwich...

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Hearts a solid bet to repeat third-place finish

A turbulent summer for the SPL as a league has had a knock-on effect for a number of clubs, however peace reigns at Tynecastle where boss Csaba Laszlo is preparing for his second season in charge. So often a byword for instability in recent seasons, the Jambos can now boast a solid looking set-up...

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