Today's Papers / Top Dog / 03 January 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.

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:

More prime steak in Top Dog's bowl this morning, and in yours too if you followed my tip to lay Newcastle last night. Manchester City's 2-0 win means more and more pressure on Sam Allardyce and an FA Cup trip to in form Stoke won't help. Toon are [2.4] to win that one. The Mirror's picture desk make great use of shot of Manchester City keeper Joe Hart holding a giant blue sack that blew across the pitch. One point from four games over Christmas and nine from the last 12 matches is heaping the pressure.

Cruft's:

Daily Star - I don't give two s***ts about the FA Cup - Reading's Dave Kitson is one of football's most honest players and his verdict on the importance of the FA Cup says out loud what most players are thinking. Betting this weekend will be influenced by which clubs are going to have a go at the game's oldest competition and which will rest their top stars to save them for the £50million prize of Premier League survival. Reading will field their reserves at White Hart Lane, where Spurs are [1.52] a home win.

Pedigree Chum:

Daily Mail - McLeish in for £2.5m City reject Samaras - Alex McLeish makes his first move in the transfer market, chasing Manchester City's Greek international Georgios Samaras. He's been quoted £2.5m for a player Stuart Pearce bought for £5.7m. It means that Birmingham are investing, and are well worth laying for relegation at [3.05] even though they are just two points above the drop zone.

The Sun - Chelsea in £50m spree - Chelsea have agreed an £8.9m deal for Lokomotiv Moscow's centre half Branislav Ivanovic, who plays alongside Nemanja Vidic in Serbia's national team. And Nicolas Anelka will follow - he's told French newspaper L'Equipe that 'the chairmen of Bolton and Chelsea are discussing a transfer and I hope it happens'. Big spending Chelsea remain [9.2] to bridge the six point gap to the top of the table and win the Premier League title

The Sun - Keano's got the Lita bug - North East man Steve Brenner says Roy Keane has jointed the race to sign Reading's Leroy Lita. Steve Coppell has frozen him out after several off the field incidents. Portsmouth and Middlesbrough are also watching developments

Daily Mirror - Bridge cross the Mersey - Martin Lipton reports that Liverpool have made England full back Wayne Bridge a target, and Chelsea might do business to raise cash to help with their own spending.

Daily Mirror - Barca make Hleb number one target - Here's a story to watch for, although not until the summer. Barcelona have confirmed they are watching Arsenal's Alexander Hleb and will make the 26-year-old their top target when the season ends. Touch of Déjà vu about the Gunners fighting off interest from Barca in one of their top players.

Dog' s dinner:

Daily Express - Spurs put £35m levy on Dimitar - Harry Harris attempts to put a new twist to the Dimitar Berbatov saga but don't believe the talk of a £35m fee. If Chelsea or Manchester United get serious then Tottenham would sell for a lot less than that.

Today's other stories:

The Sun - Big Sam on the brink - Titus destroys Kop title hopes - Stelios in easy net - Big Benn - Cristiano Ronaldo exclusive interview - Theo sets goal -

Daily Express - United fans hit back at Fergie - Elano piles on Toon agony - Anelka's up for Chelsea - Bramble the hero - Stelios last gasp strike - Why I left Boro by Yakubu - McCarthy's spot-on - Be patient Theo says Wenger - FA Cup feature on Chasetown - Bullard set to give some cheer again - Ballack aims for Wembley way

Daily Star - Big Sam's Hell-ano - Blues win race for £8m Brani - Rap for United' police state' - Rams sunk in Stelios late show - Keano curses spot of bother - Benitez loses touch at the top - I dream of lifting FA Cup says Michael Ballack - Villa's Martin Laursen on the superdoc who saved his career - Wenger on Walcott - Yak takes a whack at Boro

Daily Mirror - Sam on brink as Toon Army ring in boo year - Stelios strike batters Rams - Liverpool frozen out - Spot-on Benni makes Keano pay - I don't care about the cup says Kitson - Fergie fans row

Daily Mail - Sam's agony - Bramble up to scratch - McCarthy makes Sunderland pay - 'Silent' fans shout back at Ferguson - I just don't care about the Cup says Kitson - You've no ambition Yakubu tells Boro