Betfacts / Top Dog / 21 August 2007 / Leave a comment Free £25 Bet

Betfair's Top Dog sniffs around the truth behind the latest tabloid tales.

Top Dog

Betfair's top dog sniffs around the truth behind the latest tabloid tales.

• Cruft's champion - Top stories that can dominate the news agenda
• Pedigree chum - Insights that tell you something you don't know
• Dog's dinner - Speculation, guesswork, or ideas that just don't come off.

Top Dog says:

A slow news day sees two big topics - how do Manchester United start scoring goals and will Martin Jol survive at Tottenham? If Jol goes on winning like he did on Saturday then he can cling to his job - but expect both issues to be sorted before the August 31 deadline! Jol now odds-on to be the first Premiership manager to leave his job this season.

Cruft's:

Daily Mirror - Rovers £45m buy-out plan - Alan Nixon says the talks for American Dan Williams to buy out Blackburn Rovers are about to end in a firm offer. Nixon has been a dog with a bone on this story and says Mark Hughes could get funds before the deadline. Makes Blackburn value at 4.4 for a top six finish.

Pedigree Chum:

Daily Star - I'll Nic him - Long serving Bill Thornton, one of Sir Alex Ferguson's few favourite journalists, says Manchester United are ready to jump in and buy Nicolas Anelka ahead of Portsmouth. Bolton have said they'll sell him to a Champions League club, Anelka will fancy another move. Bolton 3.5 for relegation and could fall further if they let their one class goalscorer go.

Dog' s dinner:

The Sun - Jol on brink after Berba bust-up - Daily Mail - Jol has no way back - The Sun claims Tottenham started courting Seville's Juande Ramos because Martin Jol wanted to sell Dimitar Berbatov after a dressing room row. The Mail says Spurs have a three-man shortlist to take over including Harry Redknapp. Lots of gossip and speculation, but is it well enough informed?

The Sun - Fergie eyes up Martins - Chief Football Writer Shaun Custis knows his way around the North East and reckons Sir Alex is having a look at Obafemi Martins. But the story also names Anelka and Dimitar Berbatov as possible United targets. Don't hold your breath.

Daily Mirror - Derby bid for Nugent - North West based Alan Nixon on the gossip trail again linking Billy Davies to a shock bid to rescue England striker David Nugent from his nightmare start at Pompey. Not likely to happen.

Today's other stories:

Daily Mail - Keith Hackett on why he's dropped two refs - Graham Poll's verdict on the big decisions - Lee Hughes leaves jail and signs for Oldham - David Dunn hits back at Wenger

The Sun - Rio Ferdinand exclusive on United's troubles - Fergie wants a new striker - Frank Lampard on England - Ian Wright wants Micah Richards picked - Carlo Cudicini told he must stay at Chelsea - QPR ready for takeover.

Daily Express - Lehmann on England's "weak" players - Wembley's phoney war - Richard Dunne's fears on City keeping Richards - David Dunn on Wenger - profile of Fernando Torres

Daily Star - Blunder ref Styles admits he got it wrong - Micah Richards on City's derby joy - Robbie Keane promises to bail out Jol - Dirk Kuyt on his dad - Papa Bouba Diop wants to quit Fulham

Daily Mirror - More United and Liverpool fall-out - Jens Lehmann says England are second rate - Everton's Yakubu bid stalls

Tags: Alex Ferguson, Juande Ramos, Martin Jol, Nicolas Anelka