Today's Papers / Top Dog / 25 March 2008 / Leave a comment " class="free-bet-btn" rel="external" onclick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/G4/inline-freebet');" target="_blank">Free 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:

For what seems like the 100th time, all the pre-match coverage of an England game is focused totally on David Beckham. And the signs are old Goldenballs won't even be starting when Fabio Capello names his team to play France. The result clearly matters to Becks who says he'll keep not just his shirt but his shorts, pants and socks too as a souvenir. And it matters to a few others, as well. What is significant from the morning's coverage is that for a friendly all the players turned up and all of them are fit and fighting to get into the new manager's line-up. That's in stark contrast to the French who have a long list of withdrawals including Thierry Henry, Patrick Vieira and Lassana Diarra. It could make England great value at for [3.3] an away win. France are [2.52] and it's [3.25] the draw.

Cruft's:

Daily Star - Snub pushes Gilberto to the exit - Star writer David Woods is close to former Arsenal skipper Gilberto who is clearly hurting at being left out altogether from the squad that lost at Chelsea - all the more so because of problems around William Gallas (see below). The Brazil skipper now looks certain to go to Spain or Italy in the summer.

Daily Mirror - You're in the Drog house - Martin Lipton claims William Gallas could lose the Arsenal captaincy after alienating team mates and angering Arsene Wenger. He upset the players with a magazine article criticising Theo Walcott, and his pre-match huddle in front of the TV cameras has also been called into question. Gunners, once odds on for the title, are now [15.5] and [2.42] just for a top two finish.

Pedigree Chum:

Daily Mail - Everton bid hit by Cahill KO - Bad news for Everton as Tim Cahill looks likely to be ruled out for the rest of the season with a recurrence of his broken metatarsal. Cahill's ten goals have been key to David Moyes' top four hopes. Everton are now [4.4] to grab the last Champions League place off Liverpool [1.25]

Daily Express - United revelling in role of Scrooge - Paul Joyce analyses the reasons why Manchester United are now [1.25] title favourites, and it's nothing to do with Cristiano Ronaldo. United have kept 19 clean sheets in a miserly season, and are [1.89] to hang on to another one against Aston Villa this weekend

Daily Star - Crown Fergie at the Bridge - Bill Thornton has worked out that Sir Alex could find the ultimate venue to win the title, at Stamford Bridge. If United win their next four games they'll go to Chelsea knowing a win will guarantee them top spot.

The Sun - Ash eyes exit - This is a story that won't go away. Word from the City is that Mike Ashley has been sounding out potential buyers of Newcastle to recoup some of the £129million he's believed to have lost gambling on HBOS shares. Word is he'd take £200million. Beating Fulham has eased worries for Toon who are now [5.7] to win at Spurs on Sunday

Daily Mirror - I may be mad but I'm not a lunatic - Reading chairman John Madejski talks sense to Darren Lewis on why he stuck by Steve Coppell through a run of eight straight defeats. Reading are [12.0] to go down now.

Daily Mirror - It's Arfa chance - Some of the Mirror's Football Spy gossip column stories can be suspect, but not this one. Arsene Wenger himself let slip on French TV at the weekend that he wants to sign Lyon's Hatem Ben Arfa

Dog' s dinner:

The Sun - My 4-point plan to bring back respect - Ian Wright is calling for any swearing at a referee to be an automatic red card with no leeway for anybody. Something about pots and kettles springs to mind

Today's other headlines:

The Sun - Dumb and even dumber - I thought Mac had knifed me for good says Becks - Fergie: I'll Av crown - The All Mighty - Don't write James Zoff! - Drog lover - League One and Two match reportsest man on the planet - Why did he Jav to get involved - Hot Drog's after Fegie - Gun to Pot - 28 page Super Goals pull-out - Owen's deep joy

Daily Express - I'll warm your bench vows Becks - Terry poised to regain top job - James takes life in his stride - Javier won't be silenced - Alan Curbishley column - Drogba of old just like new - Owen dilemma over future goal

Daily Star - Becks: I never gave up - Terry's skipper - All I asked is: What's going on moans Masch - No-one gets this shirt says Becks - Super Drog will shoot us to title says Lampard - League One and Two match reports - I'm lovin it with Kev says Owen

Daily Mirror - Becks de triomphe - Beckham special on 100 caps - Vieira warns Capello is as tough as they come - David James on his World Cup dreams - Masch is set to kop huge fine - Fergie's date with destiny at The Bridge

Daily Mail - Goldenballs - Put your shirt on Fergie again - Jamie Redknapp column - I don't know why I was sent off moans Mascherano - Becks heads for hot 100

Tags: David Beckham captain, Mascherano suspension, Patrick Vieira