Today's Papers / Top Dog / 04 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:

Arsenal skipper William Gallas should keep his mouth shut and his increasingly stupid thoughts to himself. Having looked an idiot with his sit-in at Birmingham, the erratic Frenchman has now accused teenager Theo Walcott of being one dimensional and nowhere near as good as Rooney. Sun Sports' chief football writer Shaun Custis reveals all, via an early copy of GQ's interview with Gallas. Extraordinary stuff that will do wonders for team spirit!

Cruft's:

Daily Mirror - Bovvered? Do I look bovvered - Arsene Wenger stinging pre-match reply to ex-Milan coach Arrigo Sacchhi's claim his young Gunners are too naïve is a superb rallying call to his stuttering team. Gallas take note of your manager's positive mood ahead of tonight's testing trip in the San Siro. Arsenal are [4.0] to become the first English side to beat the Champions League holders on their own patch.

The Daily Express - Yoga Mad Murray stretches Fed - Tennis on the back page in March? Yers, when British No 1 Andy Murray beats Roger Federer for the second time on the spin. And it's all down to the the Scot's yoga sessions in sauna says Express' Nigel Clarke. It'sthe first time in five years that the world No 1 has lost back-to-back first-round matches. World No 11 Murray is [4.5] to land his third title of 2008 out in Dubai

Pedigree Chum:

Daily Express- Title is not enough for us any more - Richard Tanner's superb insight into what is driving Manchester United these days - glory at home and abroad- via the thoughts of Rio Ferdinand. The England defender takes a swipe at bitter rivals Liverpool, saying: "I don't think winning the Champions League has a bearing on whether you are a great side or not. Do well domestically too and that has to add to the fact you are." You can back United, who face Lyon tonight, to win a League and European double at [17.5]

Sun - Ballack: It's all been emulsional - Nice headline as Chelsea's in-form German ace reveals that John Terry arranged a spot of paint-balling to improve team spirit. And Avram Grant's men, having thumped West Ham at the weekend, should find Olympiakos a relative breeze at the Bridge tomorrow night. They are [1.32] to beat the Greeks

Daily Mail: Keep us up Kevin, then we'll spend - Kign Kev will be in the money if his team avoid relegation. All part of the club's campaign to make it appear that it's business as usual at crisis-torn St James Park. But despite the vote of confidence, the Geordies are [6.8] to drop while Keegan is [2.86] in the managerial change market.

The Sun - Hicks on brink of Kop deal. Sister paper The Times have gone huge on this tale and fair play to the Sun for putting on back page. The bidding war for Rafa's Reds is about to explode as joint owner George Gillette wants to sell to Arabs DIC. But his partner Tom Hicks has raised the £200million needed to buy him out. Trouble is Gillette won't sell to Hicks - they no longer speak. On the pitch, the Reds are [1.46] to beat West Ham tomorrow.
Daily Mail: This tour feels like a second coming to me - Back-in-favour Andrew Strauss opens up on being axed by England - very unfairly, in Top Dog's opinion. Now the Middlesex batsman aims to make New Zealand when the first of the three-test series begins tonight. You can back Strauss to top score in England's first innings [6.8]

Dog' s dinner:

Daily Star - Barca join race for Ron - Boring, boring, boring. We know the Catalans would love to sign Manchester United's Portuguese winger. Which top club wouldn't? This tells us nothing new - rather like last week's similar back page exclusive in the Star claiming Real Madrid are at the head of the queue. Top Dog has better things to concern himself ahead of such a big Champions League night.

Daily Mirror - Fab at point of Nou return - This should improve Arsene's mood - apparently Barcelona chief Txiki Berigistain insists Cesc can never go back to his former stomping ground. Why then have the Catalans been chasing the brilliant Spaniard for the last two years - and no doubt will be in the hunt again come the summer?

Daily Express - Forssell future on drop knife edge - Incredible that the Birmingham striker finally delivers a few goals and then stating he will quit if the club are relegated. He is out of contract at the end of the season. Top Dog says let the injury-prone Finland striker go no matter what happens.

Today's other headlines:

The Sun - Walcott Gallas delivers shock verdict - Hinks on brink of Kop deal - Fed 'n' buried - Weng not kidding - Adebayor's a basket case - Theatre of screams - Crocked Curt still on move- Ballack: It's all been emulsion - Vaughan under pressure for first time

Daily Express - Time to grow up - Yoga-Mad Murray stretches Fed - Carlos is my new Eric - Fab time to hit heights - Pirlo in mind games - Title is not enough for Utd anymore - Crisis? Arsene knows better- Lyon starlets contretempts - It all points to a Lamps reprieve - Forssell future on drop knife-edge - Carew is set for long stay - Vaughan aims to step it up

Daily Star - Barca join race for Ron - Great Guns - Police blast Cahill - You're my new Eric, Carlos - Curtis out for six months - Rio dreams of final fling - Carvalho: We've got it Ol to do - Keegan pledge to Tayl - Griff backed by ref - Lamps plea for FA justice - Steve Pienaar interview - Babel's full-time aim - Get Dan in now for Wilko - Vaughan to start Ashes charge now

Daily Mirror - Do I look bovvered? Murray's yoga party for Fed - Boys to men - Kaka fears big kicking - Hicks set to be top dog - Lampard on attack - Tevez is new Cantona - £2m Moyes - Remember when Alan Smith was a goalscorer - Ledley's back for PSV test - Watford? They mean nothing to Roeder - Barca: Fab at point of Nou return.

Daily Mail - We'll be giants - Magnificent Murray humbles Federer - Acid test for Arsenal - Fergie counts on Tevez, the new Eric - Rio's Liverpool dig - Let off for Lamps - Hicks set to Kop it - Keep us Kevin and then we'll spend - Cahill prison break - Strauss: This tour feels like a second coming

Tags: Champions League football, Ferdinand comments, Theo Walcott, William Gallas