Benayoun injury may mean curtains for England

Today's Papers / Top Dog / 12 November 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:

Best steak in Top Dog's bowl today after picking out a price of 32 on Friday for Fulham to be hanging on to a draw at half time before Liverpool won. That more than made up for thinking Derby might do something against injury hit West Ham! Six live Sunday games means there's little room for anything but match reports today.

Cruft's:

Daily Express - Benayoun 'devastated' - The Express is the only tabloid to find room for Yossi Benayoun's injury on the back page (although the Mail do use a picture with a cross reference inside to the story) The one player who might have scored or made a goal for Israel against the Russians is now ruled out, yet amazingly you can still lay England for qualification as short as (3.35). Lots of super optimists use Betfair, obviously!

Pedigree Chum:

Daily Star - Fans asked to draw a blank - Top Dog liked Kevin Francis' verdict on Bolton's extremely dull 0-0 draw with Middlesbrough: "The good news was that the Press box TV monitor broke down during the game. The bad news was that someone fixed it!"

Daily Mirror - Miss Roo? Not when Ron's on this form - Wayne Rooney's injury comes as a blow to Top Dog who suggested backing him for the Premier League golden boot at odds of 14 a few weeks back and was eagerly watching him start to score every week. [He's now out to (17.5)] But it doesn't seem to have bothered United who have shortened to (2.1) for the title

Daily Mirror - Job is your again Jewell - Alan Nixon reports that Dave Whelan's top choices Stuart Pearce and Alex McLeish have both turned him down and Paul Jewell can name his price to come back again. Jewell now (2.26) favourite to take the job but beware. Will he want to risk a relegation with a group of players he didn't sign? A big gap to (3.35) to lay suggests somebody knows something.

Daily Mail - Gerrard has title feeling thanks to Torres - Steven Gerrard clearly specialises in positive thinking and he says a win over Fulham at home proves Liverpool can join the Premier League title race. Top Dog's not convinced, but for those who do believe him you can back the Reds at (10).

Dog' s dinner:

Daily Star - Last gasp hero Gabi - I suppose you could be forgiven for not being able to spell Gabriel Agbonlahor's name. But the Star's headline writers call him 'Gabi' on the back page and 'Gabby' on the inside. Make your mind up, lads

Daily Mirror - Question Mark - One time Manchester United FA Cup hero Mark Robins reckons the balls being used in the FA Cup are egg shaped after his Rotherham team scrambled a 2-2 draw at mighty Forest Green Rovers. As excuses go Top Dog thinks he's talking b****!

Today's other stories:

The Sun - Over 'n clout - Cesc: I'll stay for life - Wayne who? - Wenger dumps Lehmann even on his birthday - 28 page Super Goals - Ramos don't go plea to Berba

Daily Express - Ronaldo's double top - Cahill demands Essien apology - Eriksson's Hart in the right place - Torres the terror - Barton puts his foot in it

Daily Star - My best team ever - Chaos rules as FA panic over Macca - I'm Gunnar stop Cesc - No happy returns for Jens - 20 page Seriously Football pull-out - Cahill blast at Essien

Daily Mirror - 21 Ron salute - Cahill: Say sorry, Ess - Avram finds fizz has gone flat - Gift of the Gab - Dimi's all smiles - 20 page Football Mania pull-out - Bow bells - Torres is £20m well spent

Daily Mail - My Invincibles - On your bike, Avram - Never a grey day for Giggs - Sven's men have Hart for battle - Bruce rants at penalty 'howlers'

Tags: Betfair's Top Dog, Euro 2008 qualification, football betting, Yossi Benayoun