Betfacts / Editor / 10 October 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:

Paul Robinson gets a vote of confidence from Steve McClaren but from none of the Sports Editors. The England boss confirmed yesterday's Daily Star story that he'd keep faith with his error prone and out of form keeper. He's 1.43 to keep a clean sheet against Estonia, 1.46 to lay.

Cruft's:

Daily Mirror - The Four Kops - David Maddock names Liverpool's four January transfer targets for the £20million still in Rafa Benitez war chest. He says they are Bernard Mendy from Paris St Germain, Roma's Amantino Mancini, Afonso Alves of Heerenveen and Monaco's Jeremy Menez (also linked in The Sun today with Manchester United). What will having yet more players to rotate do to Liverpool's chances? They have slid back to 7.4 for the Holy Grail of the Premier League title.

Pedigree Chum:

Daily Star - Lamps looking an outside bet - Brian Woolnough checks who got the first team bibs at the start of England training. Frank Lampard missed out as Steve McClaren kept the same side that beat Israel and Russia except replacing injured Emile Heskey with Wayne Rooney.

The Sun - Clarke stays - Ian McGarry gets another Chelsea exclusive with news that Steve Clarke has agreed a new £500,000 a year contract to work alongside Henk Ten Cate. That's two first team coaches, then. And how will that affect Blues under Avram Grant? Chelsea stay an 11.5 chance to land Roman Abramovich's dream and win the Champions League.

The Sun - Let's be floggin' ya - Charlie Wyatt reveals that Delia Smith is preparing to sell her stake in Norwich and take a back seat while two local mortgage lending millionaires take over. New funds and manager should help lift the Canaries away from relegation trouble - they are currently favourites at odds of 3.

Daily Express - Sullivan eye on Ipswich - Tony Banks reveals that Birmingham owner David Sullivan is thinking over a bid to buy Ipswich when his sale of Birmingham to Hong Kong based Carson Yeung goes through. More uncertainty for Birmingham who are now 2.38 favourites to be relegated.

Daily Express - Spurs number two plots takeover - More boardroom gossip. Vice chairman Paul Kemsley is one of several bidders starting plans for a £250million takeover at Tottenham.

Dog' s dinner:

Daily Star - Flop Grant axed - clever headline to make you think the Chelsea tale's taken another twist. But this is only Peter Grant leaving Norwich!

The Sun - Owen's two years of hurt - Shaun Custis claims Michael Owen is still sulking because of comments made by Sam Allardyce two years ago and that's why they are squabbling over his availability for England now. Sounds like the egg advert - something out of nothing!

The Sun - Wenger goes Green - Andrew Dillon reckons Arsenal fancy pinching West Ham keeper Robert Green who is fed up with being overlooked by Steve McClaren and knows a place at a big four club would help his England chances. Sounds like a leak - plus a bit of wishful thinking - from Green's agent. More trouble for big spending West Ham who are now 9 a top six finish.

Today's other stories:

The Sun - It's my call on Owen says Steve - Ronaldo's dig at Chelsea - Nic on UEFA - Make or break for Dyer - Hamann poised to sign new Man City contract - Man United and Liverpool chasing Jeremy Menez.

Daily Express - Safe hands - Rooney must punch his weight - Heskey backs Roo and Owen - Scotland special - Martin Jol on trying route one football

Daily Star - I'm in glove with Robbo - McClaren's minefield - Heskey won't be ready for Croatia - Dyer D-day - Koumas out for Wales - Anelka and Jol on UEFA draw - Steven Pienaar interview

Daily Mirror - I'm behind Robbo - Trust me says McClaren - Paul Jewell favourite for Norwich - Jol's fears about Hapoel Tel Aviv UEFA draw - Micah Richards new contract

Daily Mail - Joey Barton rant about England - England kept guessing - Robinson still number one - spotlight on the management sackings - We'll blow away Bolton say Bayern - Ireland out of Steve Staunton squad - Koumas out from Wales

Tags: Betfair's Top Dog, Euro 2008 qualification, football betting, Paul robinson