Today's Papers / Top Dog / 23 January 2008 / 1 Comments " 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:

Has Arsenal's bubble burst? All the papers take great delight in Tottenham's 5-1 Carling Cup win, and later additions focus heavily on the bust-up between Emmanuel Adebayor and Nicklas Bendtner. It's not affected the FA Cup betting, Arsenal are still [1.43] to beat Newcastle. They are still [1.43] a top two finish as well. But could that be worth laying if the Carling Cup leaves a hangover and Chelsea keep winning?

Cruft's:

Daily Mirror - Kev to bed for Ashton and Riise - Finally a sensible piece of Newcastle transfer speculation. West Ham's Dean Ashton hasn't been happy at being left out a few times when Alan Curbishley plays 4-5-1, is earning "only" £20,000 a week, and would be a photofit Toon centre forward. Darren Lewis's story is one to keep an eye on.

The Sun - Not Good Enough - You can always trust Stevie Gerrard to tell the truth and Liverpool's skipper was typically honest last night. After slipping to fifth place - and almost to seventh if Peter Crouch hadn't rescued a late goal against Villa - Gerrard admitted the politics are damaging the team. They've now drifted to [1.46] a top four finish while Martin O'Neill's side are [7.2].

Daily Mail - Playing away is worth a fling - interesting statistical piece by Matt Barlow. Last season no Premier League club finished with more points from their 19 away fixtures than they took at home. This term Liverpool, Portsmouth, Blackburn, West Ham and Middlesbrough have all taken bigger rewards on their travels. One to watch for when you are looking for value bets on individual fixtures.

Pedigree Chum:

The Sun - Javier Kop out! - Another sign of the division at Anfield as Javier Mascherano's agent reveals Liverpool have not made any offer to buy the Argentine midfield man permanently and is likely to go to Italy next season. It's almost tempting to lay them at [1.04] against Havant and Waterlooville!

Daily Mail - Crouch: Fourth will be a fight - Just to add more bad news for Liverpool fans, honest Peter Crouch admits their chances of winning the title have now gone. Even he doesn't think they are worth backing at [95]. More worrying for Kop fans the England striker says even finishing in the Champions League places will be a battle. You can lay them at [1.51] a top four finish

Daily Star - New agony for Lamps - Bad news for Chelsea with Frank Lampard ruled out for up to another month after tearing a thigh muscle in training. Lamps was due to be back in tonight's Carling Cup tie, but instead will also now miss Fabio Capello's first game in charge of England.

Daily Star - Cahill's a £5m target for Meg - Bolton are now leading the way to sign Aston Villa's defender Gary Cahill after agreeing to meet Martin O'Neill's £5million asking price. That's bad news for Birmingham who had been heading the queue. Birmingham are [3.6] for relegation, Bolton [4.7].

Daily Mirror - Hoddle set for Saints return - George Burley is now a stitched on [1.07] to be next Scotland manager and the Mirror reckons Glenn Hoddle will take his job at Southampton.

Daily Mirror - Nelsen's op fears - A significant blow for Blackburn s skipper Ryan Nelsen faces X-rays on a hamstring problem that could need an operation. In form Villa are [2.02] to beat Mark Hughes' side in Saturday's Premier League fixture.

Daily Mirror - Don't mess up you life, Micah - Interesting Darren Lewis story suggesting that Micah Richards has been told to stay away from Manchester's nightlife after getting involved with 'undesirable' hangers on. The Daily Mail, incidentally, says he's about to sign a new contract to stop Kevin Keegan chasing him.

Dog' s dinner:

The Sun - Ramos in Gary foray - Andrew Dillon's story that Juande Ramos is targeteing Argentine defender Ezequiel Garay could be right. But it also claims that he's Liverpool's top target but a deal has stalled because of the politics besetting Rafa Benitez. This could be an agent trying to put pressure on Anfield

Today's other stories:

The Sun - Bend of an era for Arsenal - It had to happen Juande - He's Roy Bodgson - Top Price - We'll send Blues crashing says Cahill - FA Cup reports and Coca Cola League reports

Daily Express - Spurs end the agony - Grant's jibe sure to fire up Everton - Zidan's double trouble for Lions - Hicks closes in on £350m deal - My Everton now a place for stars - Rovers wreck it for Hodgson - Fagan's fillip for Derby

Daily Star - Tott Guns whip Weng - Juan for the scrap book - Price right for Jewell - Dis is the biz - We've blown title dream says Crouch - Cahill: We'll have final say - Munich silence reigns - Burley to be Scots boss - Blackburn block Kev's Bentley bid

Daily Mirror - White Hart Slain - Stunners 5, Gunners 1 - Rover time for Fulham - Munich silence that is bound to end in tears - Crouch blasts Kop flops - Even Havant fancy their chances.

Daily Mail - Spurs whitewash - Theo a little boy lost - Jewell's jubilation - Penalty woe for Bullard - Swindon crumble in the spotlight - Watch out Chelsea warns Cahill - United to keep silent tribute

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