Today's Papers / Top Dog / 28 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:
Welcome to England, Fabio. Top Dog warned yesterday that the honeymoon would be over for Capello, and he wasn't wrong. This morning's papers pour scorn on him, first for suggesting that David Beckham can help Wayne Rooney by filling the role played by Cristiano Ronaldo for Manchester United, and then because Michael Owen has suggested the England players didn't know how they were supposed to line up. Expect Owen to insist he's been taken out of context today, but the Sun makes it clear he was asked three times to explain his role and each time said: 'I don't know, you'd best ask him[the boss]'. Can Owen prove his point about his scoring record at Tottenham on Sunday? Newcastle are as long as [5.8] to win there

Cruft's:

Daily Mirror - Wenger's captain sensible - Arsene Wenger comes out giving full backing to William Gallas as his captain. 'The same people who are questioning his leadership are the ones who said it was an inspired choise when we were five points ahead in the Premier League', he says. Gunners are [2.46] a top two finish

Daily Star - Weng's pop at Gallas - Pay your money, take your choice. David Woods, who is close to Gilberto, interprets Wenger's quotes on Gallas in a completely different way!

Daily Express - Forget the Guv'nor and meet the Don - Frank Wiechula gets a really good interview with Paul Ince on his ambitions for MK Dons and his own management career. He's [1.52] to land his first trophy as a boss at Wembley in the Johnstone's Paint final on Sunday, [2.0] to win it in normal time

Pedigree Chum:

The Sun - Roy raps crocked Litmanen - Signs that all is not well at Fulham. Roy Hodgson has a dig at Finnish striker Jari Litmanen who's not yet been fit to play for him while collecting £15,000 a week for a short-term contract, but miraculously recovers every time there's an international week. He scored for Finland in their 2-1 defeat in Bulgaria. 'He hasn't done it yet for me', says Hodgson. Who signed him? That would be Roy Hodgson! Derby at [3.25] to beat Fulham at Pride Park tomorrow could be good value

The Sun - Fergie's challenge to Ronaldo - Cristiano Ronaldo might have 34 goals this season, but Sir Alex Ferguson has pointed out that he once scored 45 in 51 games for Dunfermline! Ronaldo now [1.23] to be top Premier League scorer

Daily Mirror - Pulis to put on a £3m Sho - Stoke boss Tony Pulis has been a master of the loan transfer market, and has now added Newcastle's Shola Ameobi to his armoury for the last few weeks of the campaign to go up. Leaders Stoke are still great value to stay there at [4.2], and [2.08] to win promotion by any means

Daily Star - Taylor won't be rushed - Alex McLeish won't throw Martin Taylor straight back into Birmingham's survival battle even though his ban is over. Skipper Liam Ridgewell is suspended against Manchester City tomorrow but the Blues boss is concerned whether Taylor is ready to play again after that tackle on Eduardo. Birmingham are [2.5] to win and could be worth laying

Daily Mail - Captain Wayne - Neil Ashton reckons Wayne Rooney will be next to take a turn on the rota for the England armband and that Dean Ashton could well be called up to partner him up front against the United States in May

Daily Mail - Palace grab Sinclair as Grant snubs Charlton - The Mail take notice of the Coca Cola League's deadline day, and highlight Scott Sinclair being taken away from Charlton by Chelsea to join Crystal Palace on loan instead. The highly rated youngster could help bring Neil Warnock's side through on the rails. They are [8.0] for promotion at the moment. Charlton are now longer odds at [9.0]

Dog' s dinner:

The Sun - Rafa was inhumane - International weeks always mean a selection of interviews in other countries being liberally translated and brought back to these shores - and that's the case with this one from Alvaro Arbeloa. Despite the headline he's actually full of praise for the Liverpool boss!

Today's other headlines:

The Sun - Clueless: Owen bombshell verdict on Capello - Owen: We don't know what you're doing - Capel-loco - What Galaxy you on, Fabio? - Essien on Chelsea title charge - Mad Masch bites back

Daily Express - The two Ronnies! - Rooney needs help to be fab - I'd love to keep armband says Rio - Owen: just look at my record - Koumas flying high for Tosh - Anderson keeping his eye on prizes

Daily Star - Pull the other Ron, Fab - Fab's lost it already - We've got to be patient with Capello - Rio wants to keep armband - United has been a dream says Anderson - Keegan wants to sign Jose Antonio Reyes

Daily Mirror - Owen rift with Capello - Jekyll and Hide England - Put Maradona and Best together and you've got Ronaldo claims Fergie - Taylor's back for Brum if he's up to it - Special report on Hull's promotion campaign

Daily Mail - Make the best of it, Fabio - Jamie Redknapp on the search for a spearhead - I back Gallas says Wenger - No fears for Sears after injury worry

Tags: England friendly, Fabio Capello, Michael Owen comments