Today's Papers / Top Dog / 26 February 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:

Avram Grant was being hailed by Chelsea as a genius a couple of weeks ago when he got close to a record run of wins. But defeat in the Carling Cup final has changed all that and his long price of [15.5] in the managerial change market suddenly looks worth a punt. The Sun reports a training ground spat between John Terry and coach Henk ten Cate during the build-up to Wembley. The Mail says Chelsea's manager must win a trophy between now and the end of the season to keep his job. The Express says Ashley Cole and Michael Ballack are ready for a row about being dropped, while the Star reckons Joe Cole and Claude Makele are also on the warpath. Chelsea's PR machine will doubtless give it the 'I don't know where the papers get these ideas from' routine. But Top Dog has been reading between the lines and reckons the speculation about Grant's future, especially, has been briefed by somebody high up at Stamford Bridge. The aim is doubtless to focus minds on putting the Premier League and Champions League campaigns back on track. Will it work? Chelsea are [8.0] to win the domestic title and [3.3] to be the longest surviving British club in Europe.

Cruft's:

Daily Mail - Wednesday boost - New owners are moving in to Hillsborough and have a £50m fund available to bring in loan players to make sure they stay out of the relegation zone. Makes [4.7] for relegation a very safe lay.

Pedigree Chum:

Daily Star - Robbo's glory hides secret pain - Touching story that Spurs keeper Paul Robinson won his Wembley medal despite worrying about his little boy who has been ill in hospital with a bad attack of bronchitis.

Daily Mail - Cup flows over for King and his merry men - Juande Ramos told Tottenham's players to let their hair down after the Carling Cup final, and they followed his instructions. The Mail has pictures of Aaron Lennon, Jermaine Jenas and Ledley King the worse for wear at Faces nightclub in Essex. Will they sober up in time to play Birmingham on Saturday where they are [2.04] favourites?

Daily Mirror - Dream on, Eriksson - David McDonnell's match report makes it clear that Manchester City's hopes of a Champions League place are over. But Everton are beginning to look a real threat to Liverpool for the fourth spot, and don't rule out Villa either. David Moyes' side are now as short as [3.3] a top four finish. The Kop remain odds-on at [1.63], while Villa are as long as [9]

Dog' s dinner:

The Sun - He's still not learned - The Sun's picture desk use a training shot of Birmingham's Martin Taylor stretching towards the ball to suggest he's about to make another horror tackle on a team mate. But if you know anything about skills routines it's obvious he's the 'piggy in the middle' of a keep ball session and isn't tackling at all. Irresponsible in the current climate.

The Sun - These two are history, Capello should turn to Woody and Ledley instead - Jermaine Jenas won't have his hangover improved by a so-called exclusive twisting his Wembley quotes on how well Woodgate and King played into an attack on John Terry and Rio Ferdinand.

Today's other headlines:

The Sun - Terry catfight - We are Yak on track - Av you lost it? - Juande gets £40m war chest - Here 4 keeps - I'm Gab fab - Ian Wright column

Daily Express - Chelsea revolt - Ramos to get £40m war chest - Eager Everton go fourth - How Juande uses mind tricks to work his magic - Terry's rallying cry to Chelsea stars - Alan Curbishley column - Moyes puts out City lights - Levy vindicated by cup glory - Taylor backlash

Daily Star - Ed back in 9 months - Av faces Chelsea revolt - Jole boys go fourth - The fource is with Yak - Al: Kevin can Toon it around - Mart's still in bits over Ed horror - Boro keep Alves waiting

Daily Mirror - S**t happens says Eduardo - Lescott's got Moyes on march - King: This Cup must be first of many - Fuming Chelsea fans hit at 'dismal, clueless' Grant - Death threats for Taylor, the other victim - Squeaky bum Tyne, but Shearer backs Kev

Daily Mail - The heat is on Grant - Lethal Lescott sinks Sven - Eduardo out until Christmas - Ramos has £40m for Spain raid - Unrest grows as Shevchenko and Co are sidelined - Gallas is a liability - Neil Mellor feature

Tags: Avram Grant, Carling Cup final, football betting, Joleon Lescott