Today's Papers / Top Dog / 25 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:

Liverpool started the season looking like contenders but are now back to also-rans and all the back pages home in on their dismal defeat in Istanbul - the City where Rafa Benitez tasted his greatest triumph. The Mirror has the best back page picture with Benitez and Steven Gerrard in despair. Arsenal are a tasty 2.94 to make their misery worse by winning at Anfield on Sunday.

Cruft's:

The Sun - Official: Jol gets boot - Brilliant Gary Payne story reveals that Martin Jol has been left off the board for the official new Spurs Monopoly game. Yet more evidence the Dutchman needs a Get Out of Jail Free card to keep his job. Legendary boss Bill Nicholson occupies the Mayfair spot, while goalkeeper Paul Robinson is the rundown property at Old Kent Road! Spurs are 1.6 to lift the gloom against Getafe in the UEFA Cup tonight.

Pedigree Chum:

Daily Mirror - Official: Scotland catching England - The new FIFA rankings put Scotland up to 13th place, just two behind England who've dropped out of the top ten. And Simon Bird warns that the Scots could go above their hated rivals next month with damaging implications for Steve McClaren - or whoever else is in charge - in the next World Cup qualifying draw. Scotland are 3.4 to get the win over Italy they need to qualify for Euro 2008.

Daily Mirror - Sam: I want top four finish - Sam Allardyce reveals his planning to take the Toon into the Champions League included getting 20 points from the first ten games - a landmark he'll achieve if Newcastle win at Reading on Saturday. They are 2.75 to get the three points, and a tasty 14 the ultimate target of a top four finish.

The Sun - SWP Euro snub fury - Ian McGarry has sometimes written stories exaggerating rows, but given that Ian Wright is a Sun columnist you'd think they would check before publishing a story that Shaun Wright Phillips was considering his Chelsea future after being left out of their Champions League 18. One to keep an eye on.

Daily Express - Caborn eyes home rule - Former Sports Minister Richard Caborn tells Harry Harris his first priority if he gets the job as the new FA chairman will be to try to force quotas of home grown players on Premier League clubs. Sounds like a policy guaranteed to make sure the big guns block his chances!

Daily Star - He'll Dow for Foxes - dodgy headline but top story as the Star is the only paper to look at how Leicester will replace Gary Megson. Reporter John Percy, based in the East Midlands, says Milan Mandaric will make a third attempt to get Iain Dowie and this time is likely to persuade him to leave because of the cash crisis at the Sky Blues. Sixth from bottom Leicester are 8.8 for promotion under a new boss.

Dog' s dinner:

One of Fleet Street's better days - Top Dog can't find anything bad enough for his bowl this morning!

Today's other stories:

The Sun - Besik as a parrot - Drog is barking - Fergie's kids will be number one - Hyyp's broken - Harry Redknapp column - Megson a rotter not a Trotter - I'm not the new Henry says Theo

Daily Express - Woeful reds rock bottom - Chelsea on cruise control - Megson on way to Bolton - Almunia: I'll keep out Jens - Walcott: I'm not Henry Mk II - Jol's Mr Angry - Bolton home in on Megson - Blatter green light for FA 2018 bid

Daily Star - Rafa men on brink - Hot Drog as Blues stroll it - We've the power to rule Europe says Rooney - I don't want to be new Henry says Walcott - Jol: Sort it out quick - Moyes threat to spill beans on ref

Daily Mirror - Turks 2, Berks 1 - Mind it like Drog - Wonderkid to superman - Jol: I blame my players - Foxes fuming as Bolton seal Megson deal - Ivan the incredible for Bristol City

Daily Mail - Turkey stew - Cut-price Blues hit right notes - Jol the joker still aims to have last laugh - England's scrap to host 2018 - Megson on the merry go round - From Zero to Theo - Saints caught cold by Byfield

Tags: Betfair's Top Dog, Champions League betting, football betting, Rafael Benitez