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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:

Tottenham's Carling Cup final win has helped put some happy pictures on the back pages, although none of the tabloids are as squeamish as Sky who chose not to replay Martin Taylor's horrible tackle on Eduardo. Spurs boss Juande Ramos, whose reign has been one of discipline as regards training, weight and diet, told his players to go out and celebrate their first silverware in nearly a decade. 'It's a kind diet because it can include champagne sometimes' he said. Will they recover by the weekend? They are [1.99] to win at Birmingham and Top Dog will be laying it! Incidentally, Ramos conducted his post Wembley press conference in English for the first time rather than using an interpreter as he had done for every game until now.

Cruft's:

The Sun - He'll be back - Eduardo's horror injury brought back chilling memories of David Busst whose career was ended by a similar compound fracture. But the Sun's Janine Self found the former Coventry defender to give Arsenal's star some cause for hope. He needed 22 operations but his playing time was finished not by the break but by MRSA getting into the leg muscles. If Arsenal's man can find a clean hospital he's got every chance to play again

Pedigree Chum:

The Sun - Grant's a loser in key games - Chief Sports Writer Steve Howard picks out that Avram Grant has lost only three games in charge of Chelsea, the three that mattered most against Manchester United, Arsenal and now Tottenham at Wembley. To land the Premier League title they will have to beat Manchester United and Arsenal at home. Now wonder they have slid to [8.2].

The Sun - Curbs on the attack - Andrew Dillon's match report of West Ham's win at Fulham raises interesting issues over the sort of football Alan Curbishley's side are playing and whether it's enough to keep Hammers' fans happy. They were singing Paolo Di Canio's name and chanting 'attack, attack' during a dismal display at Craven Cottage before a late, lucky winner. Curbishley has shortened to just [7.0] in the managerial change market.

Daily Mirror - D-day: April 12 - David McDonnell looks ahead to the day when Manchester United are due to clash with Arsenal and forecasts it will now be the title decider. United are back to being [2.02] favourites again with Arsenal slipping to [2.58].

Daily Mirror - Cauldron of pessimism - Reading chairman John Madejski wanted his stadium to be a cauldron of optimism, but instead got an awful performance and an eighth defeat on the spin. And Steve Coppell admitted he doesn't know what's going wrong or why. Makes Reading at [3.0] for relegation good value.

Daily Express - Kev the king of a rabble - If Reading are to get out of trouble then Newcastle are the side who could slide into it. Niall Hickman picks out the statistic that Toon can't now finish top. 'It would be funny if it wasn't so sad'. Hickman says Kevin Keegan's side are now the Northern Rock of the Premier League, spinning out of control. They are currently [8.2] to go down.

Daily Star - Caleb's brush job - Hull's former Wigan striker Caleb Folan reveals he's a part time painter and sculpture, but he's planning a real masterpiece by taking the Tigers into the Premier League. His winner at West Brom means Phil Brown's side are just two points outside the play-offs with a game in hand - and are also a generous [10.5] for promotion.

Dog' s dinner:

Daily Express - Gentle giant hasn't a bad bone in his body - John Wragg writes a passionate defence of Birmingham's Martin Taylor over that horror tackle. He's 6ft 4ins but nicknamed 'Tiny' by his team mates and everybody says he's too nice to be a successful centre half. Fine, but at least his bones haven't been shattered. It might have been clumsy rather than nasty but it was still a horrible tackle.

Today's other headlines:

The Sun - Juande on the lash - Taylor's Ed visit - Ramos ready to lead Spurs into Premier elite - 28 page Super Goals pull out - Woody winner is pure cheek - We want title for Eduardo - McCarthy's sweet

Daily Express - Woodys wonder wins it - I'll be back says Eduardo - Spurs use heads to win glory - A kick in the teeth for Hodgson

Daily Star - Golden Gate - Edu: I'll play again - Wood you believe it? - You Grant Av it all your own way - Whinger Wenger blind to the truth - Steve plans right Royal shake-up - 20 page Seriously Football pull-out - Hare we go into Europe - Benni makes Megson pay

Daily Mirror - Ramos tells his Tottenham Wembley winners to party - I will return vows Eduardo - Glory, glory Ramos - Negative Grant got what he deserved, nothing - 20 page Football Mania pull-out - Stan Collymore column - Coleman brings back Blue skies

Daily Mail - All white now - My foot faced wrong way says Eduardo - Woody's home comforts - Jose would not have blown it - Keegan in freefall - Eduardo's day of torture - Villa on the march - Upson inspired by Moore legend - Defoe in his Pomp again with penalties

Tags: Carling Cup final, Eduardo injury, football betting, Juande Ramos