United have know-how for victory repeat

Sports betting

THEY have splashed the cash, now it’s up to Manchester City to show they can compete with the best in the Premier League.

If nothing else, City’s summer spending and statement of intent has livened a betting market which has revolved around four clubs year after year.

Those teams – Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal - have dominated the Premier League for well over a decade.

Predictably, they are the first four in the betting to win the title once again, but City are considered worthy challengers by the bookies, who don’t often get things drastically wrong.

Mark Hughes’ collections of stars are only 14-1 to win the title and just 7-4 to break into the top four.

The latter could happen, but it’s asking a lot for a new team to gel quickly enough to make a serious challenge this season.

Chelsea, under new boss Carlo Ancelotti, are the 21-10 favourites, odds which make little appeal as I suspect the Italian’s priority this season will be the Champions’ League.

Liverpool, despite finishing second last term, are too reliant on Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres so should one or both get injured, current odds of 4-1 would look skinny.

Arsenal are interesting at 10-1 as their record in the second half of last season was excellent and they have key players returning from injury.

The percentage call, however, has to be United at 5-2. Admittedly, the Reds have lost Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez, but they still have plenty of fire power to call upon and, having won the title for the last three seasons, certainly know what it takes.

The signing of Michael Owen could prove a master stroke by Sir Alec Ferguson, while youngsters Danny Welbeck and Federico Macheda should provide decent back-up should any injuries befall Owen, Wayne Rooney and Dimitar Berbatov.

As for the league’s top goal scorer, Torres is the obvious favourite at 4-1, but his injury record is a concern, while Didier Drogba (11-1) will be spending time at the African Nations Cup, Rooney (12-1) plays too deep at times to get the goals required and Owen (12-1) can’t be relied on to play enough games given his poor fitness record.

At the prices, Nicolas Anelka looks the logical pick to repeat last year’s achievement of leading scorer with 19 goals.

His strike rate is good, he stayed fit for most of last season and, significantly, seems settled at a club for the first time in his career. At 14-1, he looks overpriced.


HOLLAND entertain England tonight and are 7-5 favourites to beat a team without their best player in Steven Gerrard.

England are 11-5 with the draw at 23-10.


ENGLAND’S cricketers were nothing short of pathetic at Headingley, so it takes a great leap of faith to imagine them beating Australia in the Ashes series decider at the Oval next week.

The tourists are 5-4 to wrap up the series, with the draw at 7-5 and England 4-1.

Calls for veteran batsman Mark Ramprakash to return to the side have seen the Surrey star introduced to the betting market for England’s top scorer in the fifth Test.

Ramps is only 9-2 while another player being touted for the team, Kent’s Robert Key, is 11-2.


THE USPGA Championship gets under way at Hazeltine Golf Club, Minnesota, tomorrow, with Tiger Woods only 7-4 to land the season’s final major following his win in last weekend’s Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone.

Padraig Harrington, joint second at Firestone, has been cut to 22-1 to repeat last year’s win in this tournament, but the two I like at the prices are Retief Goosen and Geoff Ogilvy, both major winners who seem to be returning to form.


TRY THESE:

Manchester United to win Premier League title, 5–2 (Ladbrokes), Nicolas Anelka to be top goal scorer, 14-1 (Paddy Power); Retief Goosen, each-way, first six, USPGA Championship, 35-1 (general), Geoff Ogilvy, each-way, first six, 50-1 (general).