Mourinho momentum gathers as Anelka looks set for Chelsea

Today's Papers / Top Dog / 07 December 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:

The England guessing game goes into overdrive. The Sun say Jose Mourinho has flown into England for talks, the Express have added Marcello Lippi to a five-man shortlist, while the Mail claim Trevor Brooking has fallen out with Brian Barwick because he wants to go for old West Ham team mate Alan Curbishley who was his first choice before Steve McClaren got the job. The FA have denied all of it this morning! The Special One is now favourite again at [2.9] with Fabio Capello [3.4]. The value is in the rest of the names in the frame including Jurgen Klinsmann [22], Lippi [21] and Martin O'Neill [10.5]. Curbishley is a tasty [75].

Cruft's:

Daily Star - £15m Nic in for crock Drogba - David Woods says Chelsea have all but done a deal to sign Nicolas Anelka from Bolton in the January window, and the detail that Bolton's former chief scout Dave Worthington, who joined the Blues in August, has helped broker the deal suggests the story is right. Extra goal threat will help Chelsea close the gap in the title race - although he can't play in the Champions League.

Pedigree Chum:

Daily Mail - Mad as Hatters - A Daily Mail special enquiry reveals Mike Newell is suing the club for £3.3million and raises more questions about what the FA did or didn't know on alleged irregular payments to agents. Fascinating reading and spells more potential points deducted for Luton who are [2.4] for relegation

Daily Express/Daily Mirror -- Sven taking Michael - Both the Express and Mirror say Manchester City believe they can prise Michael Owen away from Newcastle in the January transfer window. It's speculative but looks to have been informed by City owner Thaksin Shinawatra's PR people. Owen clearly doesn't fit with how Big Sam wants to play and rates Sven Goran Eriksson. The move could happen and would boost City's chances of staying in the top six [2.8]

Daily Express - Rafa wants players to box clever - Rafa Benitez has warned the boxing fans in his squad they can't stay up late to watch the Ricky Hatton fight because they must get their rest befoe Tuesday's crucial Champions League match in Marseille. The Reds are a remarkably short [1.81] to get the away win they need.

The Sun - Drog war - Ian McGarry's Chelsea contacts give him a mixture of good exclusives with a few red herrings thrown in, but there's a whiff of truth about this tale that Didier Drogba wants to go ahead with a knee operation now so he can play for the Ivory Coast in the African Nations Cup

Daily Mirror - We're not out of it yet - Simon Bird's follow up gets to the heart of the Newcastle issue. It's all very well trying hard against Arsenal but Toon's players have to do the same thing against Birmingham, Fulham, Derby and Wigan.

Dog' s dinner:

Daily Star - San Gunner stay - Newcastle chairman Chris Mort says he's backing Sam Allardyce now and North East reporter Ian Murtagh says "after Wednesday's performance against Arsenal there's no longer a groundswell of opinion for Allardyce to go.' Just see how that changes if Birmingham win tomorrow! The Toon [1.9] for their first win in seven games.

Daily Mail - Almunia ready to lend a hand - Arsenal goalkeeper Manuel Almunia is a year away from becoming a British citizen and having never represented Spain thinks he could be England's next number one. Surely we've got enough dodgy keepers of our own?

Daily Mirror - Carson can laugh last - Villa's Gabby Agbonlahor reveals how Scott Carson has laughed his way through the stress of England cock-up. Hope Midlands reporter James Nursey can laugh his way through using the identical quotes that were in the Daily Star on the same story yesterday!

Today's other stories:

The Sun - Berbatop - England suits my son Jose - Leaked PFA report says there are too many foreigners - McCann the man - Jelle's wobble - Hot Cahill's our Scholeden boy - Toure we're tough at top - Tall Tayl

Daily Express - Jose tops England shortlist - Bolton fans held in Belgrade hotel - Denis Law's verdict on Manchester United's new stars - Kolo Toure on William Gallas - Berbatov repairs Dawson's creak - Sheva set to go in shop window

Daily Star - England on alert as Jose jets in - Rafa KO's Ricky - Berb keeps dream alive - Macca enjoys star turn - Cahill's got an eye for Scholes - Hail the new United trinity - Sir Alex such a Jewell

Daily Mirror - Sven wins fight for Owen - Rafa bans Kop stars from watching big fight - United's special kit for Munich tribute - Dimi does the job - Nearly in the Cann for Megs - Denis' menaces - Emile Heskey on England's future

Daily Mail - Barwick and Brooking at war - Ramos makes his point - McCann makes Bolton trip worthwhile - Chris Coleman interview - Go-ahead for United 'Munich' shirt - 'Broken England' series continues

Tags: Anelka, Mourinho England job, Premiership betting, Premiership football