United 5-2 to bounce back in Europe

SPORTS AND SHOWBIZ BETTING: MANCHESTER City are 2-5 to win the FA Cup and end their 35-year trophy drought.

City boss Roberto Mancini’s expensively-assembled side blunted United’s cutting edge at Wembley on Saturday and, not surprisingly, the bookies make them hot favourites to overcome Stoke in the final.

But if Stoke played as they did against Bolton – who were, admittedly, truly awful – they will take some shifting, so don’t be surprised if the 9-4 about the Potters lifting the trophy is snapped up.

Having gone out of the FA Cup, United turn their attention to European competition and the Champions League next week with a semi-final first-leg tie against Schalke.

United are well fancied to reach the final and are just 5-2 to land the trophy for the third time under Sir Alex Ferguson.

Barcelona are hot favourites at 11-10, but they are unlikely to have it all their own way against Jose Mourinho’s Real Madrid (7-2). Schalke are the outsiders on 14-1.

Talking of Barcelona, their manager Pep Guardiola is 11-1 to become the next Chelsea boss in succession to Carlo Ancelotti, who is expected to depart Stamford Bridge in the summer.

This is one scenario I can’t envisage, but the return of former temporary manager Guus Hiddink is a strong possibility so the 7-2 about that happening is perfectly fair.



RORY McIlroy’s meltdown in the final round of the Masters has not been met with much scepticism by the bookies, who make the Northern Irishman 22-1 fourth favourite to win golf’s next major of the season, the US Open, at the Congressional Country Club, Maryland, in June.

Tiger Woods, who showed signs of a return to form in the Masters, is the 13-2 favourite, ahead of Phil Mickelson (12-1) and Lee Westwood (20-1). Martin Kaymer, my long-term fancy, is 25-1.



RAFAEL Nadal may be playing second fiddle to Novak Djokovic at present, but he remains a hot favourite to win the next Grand Slam tennis event of the season.

Nadal loves the clay of Paris for the French Open and is 8-15 to win again.

He is also 2-1 favourite to retain his Wimbledon title, ahead of Roger Federer (7-2), Djokovic (5-1) and Andy Murray (15-2).