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Wednesday night promises to be the big David Beckham and Wayne Rooney show in the Champions League clash between Man Utd v AC Milan. The first leg in Milan, ended in a pulsating 3-2 victory for Alex Ferguson’s men, but they will need to rediscover some of that home invulnerability if they are to make light work of the second leg at Old Trafford. After nearly seven years away from Old Trafford, David Beckham makes his return, courtesy of his loan spell with the Italian giants. On his last Champions League game at Old Trafford before heading to Real Madrid, Beckham scored himself a brace of goals. The majority of the Manchester crowd will not want to see history repeating itself like that on Wednesday night.

Things could have been a lot more comfortable for Manchester united, had a lapse in concentration not allowed Clarence Seedorf to grab a crucial second goal for AC Milan. They have a big job in overturning Man United at Old Trafford, if they want to keep their strong record against United going. Every encounter over two legs between the two sides in the Champions league, the Italians have come out on top, largely thanks to their performances at home. The home leg in this season’s competition however, let them down badly, despite getting off to a promising start. Milan overran United in the early part of the game, and should have put the fixture out of sight there and then. United looked at their disjointed worst, unable to keep a hold of any possession. That was until Wayne Rooney stole the show in the second half.

The England striker scored twice with head (that makes 9 headed goals for him in the Champions League). United only managed to pick up four points out of the possible nine available in the home fixtures of the group stages, and that was some surprise as they were in an easy group. They even squandered their excellent home record in the Champions League, when they lost to Besiktas, ending a 23 run of games without defeat at Old Trafford. The previous defeat that United had suffered at home in the Champions league, was of course, to Wednesday night’s opponents, AC Milan. United have had to come from behind twice this season at home in the Champions league, but now the stakes are different because there are away goals to worry about. Milan need a clear two goal advantage on the night.

The first leg result bore a spooky similarity to the 2006/07 meeting between the two sides in the semi final of the competition, when United won 3-2 in the first leg, but then lost badly in the second leg, 3-0, with Kaka on target that night. United laboured to 1-0 win over Wolves in the Premier League on the weekend, but they should not need any motivating ahead of Wednesday. Fans will be packed in to see David Beckham mark this historic return. United simply need to do what they do best, and that is up the tempo to attack at speed. Beckham was employed in the middle of the park in the first leg, and was not effective there at all, and as a whole, the Milan side don’t look particularly fast. Their control on the ball and passing is what they rely on, and if United can disrupt that, they should be in for a good night. It is unlikely that Milan would be able to match United in full flow at Old Trafford.

But is there a sting in this tale from former servant of Alex Ferguson, David Beckham? Will his return fade into anonymity, or will he produce one of his big match moments that could crush the Champions League dreams of United for 2010? Beckham scored 86 goals in 394 appearances for Manchester United, and won the Premier League six times. United will be waiting on news about Wayne Rooney, who missed the weekend game at Molineux because of an aggravated knee problem. Quite how United will manage without him, as he is their one man strike force, could be a key factor on the biggest night of their season so far.

Milan still have Serie A dreams for this season, as well as success in the Champions League. Boss Leonardo has included striker Pato, who is the key component up front for them, in the squad, after missing their weekend match with a hamstring problem. The likelihood of Wayne Rooney appearing on Wednesday night, is not so promising, as he has been described as very doubtful for the match by Alex Ferguson. There were reports that Rooney was not going to be fit for England’s midweek friendly against Egypt, but he appeared. However, his knee was not in good shape afterwards, appearing to have aggravated any problem that may have been there, during England’s 3-1 win. Ferguson has already lost Michael Owe for the season, so that just leaves Berbatov up front. Subsequent reports hint that the problem with Rooney’s knee is serious enough to keep him out of action, so he may appear off the bench if his club needs him on the night. Not so for defender Wes Brown, who may be out for the rest of the season with a broken foot.

BETTING STATS

Head to Head
AC Milan 2, Man Utd 3
AC Milan 3, Man Utd 0
Man Utd 3, AC Milan 2
AC Milan 1, Man Utd 0
Man Utd 0, AC Milan 1

Last 5 Match Goals
Man Utd: 10 For, 6 Against
AC Milan: 9 For, 5 Against

Current Form:
Man Utd: W8, D1, L1
AC Milan: W4, D3, L3

Champions League Form:
Man Utd: WWWDLWW
AC Milan: WLWDDDL

Win Percentage:
Man Utd have a 73.9 win percentage at home
AC Milan have a 52.9 win percentage away from home

MATCH PRICES
Man Utd to win: 8/11 at Victor Chandler
Draw: 11/4 at SkyBet
AC Milan: 9/2 at Ladbrokes

Asian Handicap Betting Advice: AC Milan have problems with pace and speed, while United don’t quite have the ball skills in the middle of the park. This is why they are fairly evenly matched, but for some reason, United have struggled at home this season in the Champions League. Milan should be good enough for a draw on the night, it won’t get them through, but they are of equal quality with United as long as they don’t have a super collapse. If Rooney is missing and Ronaldinho is at his devastating bet, and with Milan having nothing to lose, away from home and already behind, they could pose a threat.
AC Milan +0.50 Asian Handicap: 11/10 at Paddy Power

David Beckham Anytime Scorer: 13/2 at Paddy Power

Carling Cup Betting will hit its peak on Sunday. Manchester United will be looking to hold on to their Carling Cup, with victory over Aston Villa on Sunday. By that time, United will know where they stand in the race for the Premier League title as well, with Chelsea playing on Saturday, but all attention will be on their Wembley date against Martin O’Neill’s Aston Villa. Villa are enjoying a good season and are firmly lodged in the race for fourth spot in the Premier League. A lot of their good work can be attributed to the sound defensive system which O’Neill has instilled at the club, and they go into Sunday’s showdown with the best defensive record in the Premier League.

It was their defence which strolled into Old Trafford earlier in the season, to hold out for a surprise 1-0 win against the Red Devil’s, which sort of set a benchmark for what the Midlands side wanted to achieve this season. They have, slowly but surely, developed their own identity in style, personnel and have played their way into the upper tier of the Premier League. While they may take a more direct route to goal than Manchester United, that is simply playing to their strengths, and they do look a very good, organised and solid team. They certainly have pace up front in England hopeful Gabriel Agbonlahor, but they haven’t been prolific in front of goal, compared to the teams in the standings around them.

It is quite a strong England connection from Agbonlahor, with Emile Heskey, Ashley Young, Stephen Warnock, Stuart Downing and bright spark of the season, James Milner. As well as the pace of Agbonlahor, they have power in the air, but their route to goal has been a bit shy of other competitors. That hasn’t stopped their progress upwards though, as their defence has given them a great platform to build upon. The mainstay of this defence has been Richard Dunne and James Collins, who will need to police Rooney again. This allows them to soak  up a lot of pressure against teams, as well as conceding possession, because they are capable of winning matches by the odd goal. This is contrast to Manchester United, who drive towards goal with fluency, with England striker Wayne Rooney usually on the end of all the attacking moves.

Rooney, who can usually play just as well isolated, as well as part of a duo, is the main threat for Manchester United, and it goes without saying that the Villa defence will have to shepherd him well. Villa do not have many worries in terms of injuries and selection, with their more illustrious opponents having the lions share of that. United boss Alex Ferguson has to make do again without Rio Ferdinand and John O’Shea at the back again, as well as the experience which Ryan Giggs brings to the team. Owen Hargreaves is still absent, and midfielder Anderson injured himself against West Ham, and winger Nani will be missing through suspension.

Villa have had the better of the encounters between the two sides this season, but a lot could come down to big match experience. United have plenty of that, although they haven’t won a final at the new Wembley Stadium without needing penalties to do so, so that could factor in your betting strategies. It looks as if it will be a tight game on Sunday, and a draw is more than possible. United will start as strong favourites, even though they have had some woeful blips in from this season, which seem to come out of the blue. Aston Villa have gotten to the final, largely on the back of the reserve team, but the first team will be out in force on Sunday, including goalie Brad Friedel who has yet to play in the competition so far this season. Edwin van der Saar, who has just extended his contract at United, should get the starting nod for the Red Devils.

United also ran largely with their underlings through the competition, before the main players stepped into the fray to see off rivals Manchester City in the semi finals. This is the first piece of silverware on offer for the new season, and it’s no surprise that United are participating in it. They put the pressure back on Chelsea at the top of the Premier League with a midweek win over West Ham, after Ferguson tinkered greatly with his starting eleven. Now they will be looking to add what hopefully for United fans, will be the first silverware of another successful season. The key factor could be how well the Villa centre halves deal with a certain Mr Rooney, and rely on the pace that they have to catch United on the counter. It could be a big battle in the middle of the park for supremacy, as both teams have the capability to flood it.

BETTING STATS

Last 5 Head to Head
Aston Villa 1, Man Utd 1
Man Utd 0, Aston Villa 1
Man Utd 3, Aston Villa 2
Aston Villa 0, Man Utd 0
Man Utd 4, Aston Villa 0

Last 5 Match Goals
Man Utd: 13 For, 6 Against
Aston Villa: 11 For, 6 Against

Last 10 Form
Man Utd: W7, D1, L2
Aston Villa: W5, D5, L0

Asian Handicap Betting Advice: Yes, Manchester United will go into the betting as favourite, and rightly so. This should be a close game, with Aston Villa being such a tight unit, and therefore, any Asian Handicap bet which has Villa in the plus at a good price, should seriously be considered. Are United two goals better than Villa? Can Villa go better than holding out for a draw for long periods? These are questions worth asking, and both which point to a Villa plus.
Aston Villa +1 Asian Handicap: 4/5 at Victor Chandler

Manchester United have found themselves playing catch up to Chelsea again in the race for the Premier League title, and they need to pick up three points on Tuesday night against West Ham. The Red Devils lost heavily to Everton on the weekend at Goodison Park, which allowed Chelsea to open up a four point gap at the top of the table. A home tie against a lower table, may before have tempted Ferguson to put out a weaker side, especially with a big date coming up on Sunday in the final of the Carling Cup against Aston Villa.

But they cannot afford to lose more ground on Chelsea, as the final stretch of the Premier League approaches, and Ferguson will be seething after being beaten so comprehensively by Everton, who had just beaten Chelsea previously. The loss came on the back of a good second half performance at the San Siro, in beating AC Milan 3-2. But the signs were there in the first half of that match, that United may be on a little shaky ground, as they were overran and outplayed, exactly what Everton did against them. Now they face a West Ham side who have been struggling at the bottom of the league all season, and finally managed to string two wins together.

West Ham boss Gianfranco Zola is a Chelsea legend, and he could do his old club a massive favour by masterminding Manchester United’s downfall at Old Trafford. The likelihood of that happening is not all that high, as the Hammer’s away form has been dismal all season, as they fight to stay above the drop zone. West Ham rely a lot on England World Cup hopeful Carlton Cole for their attacking power, and he has hit the back of the net nine times in the league, for a decent return. The last time the two sides came together at Upton Park, the defending Champions cruised to a 4-0 win, and need something like that again. After scoring clean sheet wins against Birmingham and Hull at home, the Hammers now face a tough task at Old Trafford. Facing a United side who are looking to fiercely bounce back, probably isn’t what they wanted right now.

BETTING STATS

Last 5 Head to Head
West Ham 0, Man Utd 4
West Ham 0, Man Utd1
Man Utd 2, West Ham 0
Man Utd 4, West Ham 1
West Ham 2, Man Utd 1

Last 5 Match Goals
Man Utd: 14 For, 5 Against
West Ham: 7 For, 3 Against

Last 10 Form
Man Utd: W6, D2, L2
West Ham: W3, D4, L3

Win Percentage:
Man Utd have an 84.6 win percentage at home
West Ham have a 7.7 win percentage away from home

Match Prices
Man Utd to win: 2/9 at SkyBet
Draw: 6/1 at Totesport
West Ham to win: 16/1 at Boylesports

Asian Handicap Betting Advice: Hard to see anything other than a good win for United. That’s it basically. Rio Ferdinand returns after serving his four match ban for United.
Man Utd +1.75 Asian Handicap: 11/10 at Paddy Power

An 8/11 bet at Boylesports on Wayne Rooney as anytime scorer, is a fair price for a player in the form of his life. After a relatively successful night in the Champions League away at the San Siro, Manchester United turn their attention back to the immediate task at hand, trying to get their noses in front of Chelsea in the Premier League. United, after being completely overran in the early stages of their match against AC Milan, turned the screw in the second half, with another startling performance from two goal hero Wayne Rooney. All of the furore about David Beckham playing against his old team, sort of filtered out, with him looking a spare part in an unusual central midfield role. Star of the night, Rooney, has netted 21 league goals this season, and now he comes up against one of his old clubs, Everton.

As good as they are looking at the moment, with momentum apparently behind them to retain the Premier League title, Alex Ferguson’s men will have watched closely as Everton inflicted a defeat upon league leaders Chelsea just over a week ago. That was the same Everton which took the first points of the season from Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, earning a well deserved 2-2 draw there earlier in the season. Manchester United though, will draw some consolation from the fact that they thumped Everton 3-0 at Old Trafford back in November, but will also be aware that the Toffees have much improved since then. United sit just one point behind Chelsea, as they failed to capitalise on Chelsea’s defeat, as they were held to a 1-1 draw at Aston Villa.

United will be without Rio Ferdinand at the back, who is still serving a ban, and Nani will also be in the stands, as he is suffering the same fate. Nemanja Vidic is fit again, after missing most of the season through injury, but despite that, he is still the centre of trade speculation that he wants out of Old Trafford, and that European giants AC Milan and Real Madrid are head hunting the Serbian international. Everton have themselves been struck with some selection problems, as Tim Cahill, the cornerstone of their midfield will be out of action for a few weeks. This is more trouble in midfield for boss David Moyes, as he will miss creative midfielder Marouane Fellaini for the rest of the season. These are two key players to have go missing, after an impressive run of form.

Injuries have been plaguing poor David Moyes for most of the season, and the likes of Phil Jagielka and Steven Pienaar have also been missing from the line-up for a long time. After being stripped to the bare bones of resources at the club, Moyes has persevered and worked with what he has got, to turn Everton around and get them back into the top half of the table. Even with all of their injury worries, they were still difficult to break down, and now they have gotten most of their first team back, the Toffees enjoyed a steady, but unspectacular climb towards the top. Sitting in 9th place and ten points out of fourth place, they are not going to be strong enough to claim a Champions League place, but a top six finish would be a particular rewarding success for Moyes in a turbulent season.

Their win over Chelsea recently showed what they can do, and success in the Europa League further strengthens their resilience to grind out results. They beat Sporting Lisbon 2-1 at home in the first leg of their Europa League tie, but conceding a late goal will have caused much frustration. Now one of the biggest challenges of the domestic calendar awaits them, as Manchester United roll into town. The loss of Cahill and Fellaini are major factors, but Moyes should be confident enough to push on through some more hard times, as well as giving Manchester United at better game than they did at Old Trafford.

BETTING STATS

Last 5 head to Head
Man Utd 3, Everton 0
Man Utd 1, Everton 0
Everton 1, Man Utd 1
Man Utd 2, Everton 1
Everton 0, Man Utd 1

Last 5 Match Goals
Everton: 7 For, 2 Against
Man Utd: 16 For, 2 Against

Last 10 Form
Everton: W5, D4, L1
Man Utd: W7, D2, L1

Win Percentage
Everton have a 46.2 win percentage at home
Man Utd have a 53.8 win percentage away from home

Match Prices
Everton to win: 4/1 at Coral
Draw: 13/5 at Bet365
Man Utd to win: 5/6 at 888sport

Asian Handicap Betting Advice: Still hard not to fancy Man Utd to win this. It could be a matter of by how many, especially with the form that Everton old boy Wayne Rooney is in. But Everton are a decent team, who can generally hold their own. It will be surprising if they roll over to another emphatic defeat like did earlier in the season against United, but they are stronger than since then, only losing once in 11 matches. For Everton to win it, it will most likely be by the odd goal, but a draw will be rewarding for them, and Chelsea fans.
Everton +0.75 Asian Handicap: 17/20 at Bet365

The action seems all non stop in the Premier League at the moment, with a full midweek fixture list, which throws up some fascinating match ups. Red hot Manchester United travel to Aston Villa in one of the feature matches, in a dress rehearsal for the Carling Cup final. Martin O’Neill has turned Villa into a force to be reckoned with, backed up by a strong England presence of the likes of James Milner, Emile Heskey, Gaby Agbonlahor and Ashley Young. They could be without Heskey as he picked up a knock in their 0-0 draw with Tottenham on the weekend. Martin O’Neill has adopted an attacking frame of mind this season, with an emphasis on width, which is an entertaining joy to watch most of the time. Villa have played their way into Champions League contention, but have had some slip ups against Liverpool and Arsenal fairly recently, which means they are mired in a tough dog fight.

Villa do have the chance to gain an impressive double over Manchester United, as they travelled to Old Trafford earlier in the season, and ran out 1-0 winners. Despite their nice width, Villa have really built on the defence of their team, proving to be extremely stubborn and watertight. That is what won them the impressive victory at OT, managing to shut out Wayne Rooney, which at the moment seems like mission impossible. If there is one criticism of the new and improved Villa, its that they aren’t finding the back of the net enough. Just 17 goals at home is a long, long way short of the six teams which stand above them in the league. Still, they are enjoying a great season, have the Carling Cup to look forward to, are still challenging in the FA Cup, and that all important Champions League spot is still up for grabs.

For United, the one man show of Wayne Rooney continues to fire on all cylinders, putting the England striker on a mantle with the best players in the world. His form is incredible. He has already matched his best goals tally for a season, and in the last 23 matches, he has scored 21 times. United have a great record against Villa, and will be looking for revenge over the defeat inflicted upon them on their home turf. United have slowly gotten stronger over the season, and seem to be hitting top form just when it matters, and it could be a busier night for the Villa defence, than even the game at Old Trafford. Rooney is the key man to shut down, as it is hard to refute the claims that Manchester United are a one-man team.

United briefly got back to the top of the league, but Chelsea reclaimed top spot with a two point advantage after they beat Arsenal on Sunday. United have been let of the hook so many times, that they look set to carry forward the defence of their title with a gale force blowing behind them. Chelsea should have been out of sight by now, after United put in some dismal performances in the first half of the season, but still only a two point gap separates them. They come up against a Villa defence who have kept out the opposition, 8 times out of their last 10 games. Their defence hasn’t been great on the road, but whether Villa’s limited goal power, with only Agbonlahor weighing in heavily with 10 goals in the league.

BETTING STATS

Last 5 Head to Head
Man Utd 0, Aston Villa 1
Man Utd 3, Aston Villa 2
Aston Villa 0, Aston Villa 0
Man Utd 4, Aston Villa 0

Last 5 Match Goals
Aston Villa: 2 For, 1 Against
Man Utd: 16 For, 2 Against

Last 10 Form
Aston Villa: W5, D3, L2
Man Utd: W7, D1, L2

Win Percentage
Aston Villa have a 50.0 win percentage at home
Man Utd have a 62.5 win percentage away from home

Match Prices:
Aston Villa to win: 10/3 at Coral
Draw: 13/5 at SkyBet
Man Utd to win: 10/11 at Bet365

Betting Advice: United don’t draw many games, so it’s generally good advice to not go for that when it comes to them. However, Villa are lean at the back, and lean up front, so again if they are going to get three points out of this, it’s fair to assume that it will be by just the odd goal. Therefore leaning towards Aston Villa with Asian Handicap head-start, could be a good idea, as they should be stubborn enough for a draw:
Aston Villa +0.5 Asian Handicap: 39/40 at Bet365

While it’s clear that In-Play betting is becoming increasingly popular with customers, there are still many of us that like to place antepost bets either before or during the start of the football season. While a bet on a live game is often settled within minutes, a long-term bet means that you can enjoy your wager over the course of the season, before eventually it’s settled as a winner or loser by May.

There are still several issues to be decided in the Premier League, with the winner likely to come from a select group of two teams. Despite talk of Liverpool and Manchester City mounting a challenge this term, they are 100/1 (Sporting Bet) and 33/1 (Paddy Power) respectively to finish top of the pile. In addition, many people have started to write off Arsenal (for the second time this season) after the Gunners lost 3-1 at home to Manchester United on Sunday. Arsene Wenger’s team are now out to 10/1 with Sky Bet to win their first title since 2004, although it appears that they might not have enough quality.

Which leaves us with Chelsea and Manchester United. The Blues have been trading at odds-on for most of the season and the Blues are still available at a best price 5/6 (bet365), despite drawing with Hull on Tuesday. Carlo Ancelotti’s team still have to visit Old Trafford this season, something which might convince many that the Red Devils are clearly the value bet at 6/4 (Ladbrokes). With United having an easy match against Portsmouth on Saturday and Chelsea entertaining Arsenal on Sunday, it could be all change at the top.

While only three teams can possibly win the Premier League, it’s fair to say that eleven sides could be relegated this term. Some shrewd punters were backing Portsmouth at fancy odds of 5/1 before the season started, although their financial state and bad opening results saw Pompey quickly start trading at odds-on. It seems implausible that they are going to get out of the bottom three by the end of the season, although Coral and Victor Chandler are still prepared to offer odds of 1/5.

If Avram Grant’s team are doomed, then every other team will believe that they can escape the drop. Indeed, Hull City didn’t look like a team destined for the drop when drawing with Chelsea on Tuesday and Coral have eased the Tigers to 8/11 on their relegation market. Phil Brown’s team never give up and actually have form at the KC Stadium which might allow them to survive. Burnley are the same price (8/11 bet365) to return to the Championship next term, with the Clarets sinking like a stone in previous months. You could have backed them at around 4/1 when they had a bright opening to the campaign, although they need some inspiration from somewhere.

Wolves (11/8 Ladbrokes), Bolton (7/2 William Hill), Wigan (5/1 Ladbrokes) and West Ham (6/1 Stan James) are definitely too close to the bottom of the league for comfort, with the Hammers a surprisingly big price purely because they have new owners who have drafted in Benni McCarthy and Mido. It promises to be a scrap to the death at the wrong end of the Premier League table.

Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger will probably be cursing John Terry right now. The England captain, who has seemed to have hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons over the past couple of days, popped up with a late winner for Chelsea against Burnley in Saturday’s late kick off. Despite being the better team, Chelsea were made to work for their victory, after Burnley pounced on their only clear cut chance of the game to cancel out an opening goal by Nicolas Anelka. The 2-1 victory for Chelsea has temporarily given them a four point lead over second placed Manchester United, and a 5 points lead over Arsenal. After the Arsenal v Manchester United match on Sunday, Chelsea will still retain a game in hand over both of their nearest rivals.

Arsene Wenger is confident his side can do better than in their last showing against United. Arsenal lost 2-1 at Old Trafford at the end of August, and somewhat against the odds, they have clawed their way into a title challenge. The success of Arsenal this season has apparently surprised boss Arsene Wenger a bit too, as they have been very unlucky with the amount of injuries they have had. They had a slowish start to the season, but have since found themselves on a nice run of form in the league, ever since being outclassed by Chelsea in a 3-0 defeat at the Emirates back at the end of November. Arsene Wenger has had to cope without star striker Robin Van Persie for a large chunk of the season, as he was struck down while on International duty, and in an extremely rich vein of form.

Eduardo is also out injured, which means that Nicklas Bendtner could get a start, and he himself is only just making his way back to full duty after being out injured for a over three months. Wenger suffered another blow last week, when steady centre half Thomas Vermaelen was feared to have fractured his leg, but scans revealed that the damage was not anywhere near as bad as first assumed. Still the defender will miss the big game on Sunday. One boost in personnel that Wenger has received, is that he has gotten players back from the African Cup of Nations, meaning that Alex Song and Emmanuel Eboue should both be ready to play.

United have not been without their problems at the back, being unable to field their strongest back four for most of the season. They will have to wait a little bit longer again after Rio Ferdinand got himself a four match ban on his return to action after a long lay-off, after striking out at a Hull player in United’s 4-0 league victory. Although they are doing a lot better than when they had to put the likes of Darren Fletcher in at full back to fill a hole, there is now only John O’Shea and Ferdinand missing. Nemanja Vidic, who seems to have spent more time in the treatment room than on the pitch this season, should be fit enough to replace Ferdinand. This has been described as the biggest game of United’s season so far, by boss Ferguson.

This is one of the great rivalries of the Premier, and the start of a crucial run for Arsenal’s ambitions. They head to Stamford Bridge the following Sunday to take on London rivals Chelsea, in what could be a make or break couple of games for them. Wenger has assured the fans that Arsenal can beat Manchester United if they can play to their full potential. As so often proved in the past, Arsenal rely a lot on team spirit and cohesion to get them through, in contrast to United who solely rely on the goals of England’s Wayne Rooney to make an impact. Chelsea’s Carlo Ancelotti summed things up by saying Manchester United would have trouble mounting a title challenge if Rooney was not in the team.

It’s hard to refute that, as Rooney looks to be in the form of his life, having scored 19 of United’s 53 league goals this season. Such is the gulf of Rooney’s importance, that Berbatov is their next highest scorer with just 7, and then Valencia 5. Clearly Rooney is Ferguson’s get out of jail free card, time and time again. United need him and England need him. With United not being nearly as dominant and bursting with class as they have been in previous years, there is a lot of pressure on Rooney to keep on performing. But that also means that if the Arsenal defence, which could include Sol Campbell can mark him out of the game, then United’s path to goal will become so much harder.

United do have the upper hand in recent games against the Gunners, winning three of the last four encounters, but the Red Devils have yet to beat Arsenal in the league at the Emirates since they moved in. Despite their troubles up front, Arsenal remain the league’s top scorers and their current form has seen them go 10 matches unbeaten in the league, including wins over Manchester City and Liverpool.

BETTING STATS LEAGUE ONLY

Last 5 Head to Head
Man Utd 2, Arsenal 1
Man Utd 0, Arsenal 0
Arsenal 2, Man Utd 1
Man Utd 2, Arsenal 1
Arsenal 2, Man Utd 2

Last 5 Match Goals
Arsenal – 12 For, 5 Against
Man Utd – 16 For, 2 Against

Last 10 Form
Arsenal – W7, D3, L0
Man Utd – W7, D1, L2

Win Percentage
Arsenal have an 81.8 win percentage at home
Man Utd have a 54.5 win percentage away from home

Match Prices
Arsenal to win: 8/5 at Bet365
Draw: 12/5 at SkyBet
Manchester United to win: 15/8 at SkyBet

Arsenal v Manchester United

A massive game for both sides, Sir Alex Ferguson has stated it as "pivotal" while Wenger has placed less importance in the fixture – the mind games begin.

Arsenal will most likely be missing defender Thomas Vermaelen (5 goals,1 assist), while fellow defender Sol Campbell will probably have to pass a late fitness test prior to the match.
Gunners striker Nicklas Bendtner (1 goal,1 assist) is in line to start as Eduardo (3 goals,4 assists) is sidelined with a hamstring.
Phillippe Senderos has joined Everton on loan until the end of the season.
Other key players also sidelined include Abou Diaby (5 goals,3 assists), Djourou, Kieran Gibbs, Merida Perez (1 goal) & Robin Van Persie (7 goals,7 assists), however Alex Song (1 goal,1 assist) and Emmanuel Eboue (1 goal,2 assists) should both be available.

Man United will be missing suspended Rio Ferdinand for four matches, while Owen Hargreaves and John O`Shea (1 goal,1 assist) remain out injured.
Defender Nemanja Vidic (1 goal) provides Ferguson with a boost as he should return from injury.

Best odds for Arsenal v Man United are available at:

Arsenal – 2.60 at Bet365 or William Hill
Draw – 3.40 SkyBet
Manchester United – 2.85 Expekt

With all of the brouhaha surrounding the first leg of the Manchester derby Carling Cup semi final, the ties gets down to the real intense stuff on Wednesday night. City and United go into combat again at Old Trafford, with Alex Ferguson looking to overturn a 2-1 deficit. The first leg was all dominated by the precocious little Argentinean Carlos Tevez, who scored a brace for City. He seemed to revel in the moment, celebrating his goal scoring feats in front of the United bench, and taunting the easily riled Gary Neville for backing Ferguson in not signing Tevez to a permanent contract. Tevez of course, spent a long time at United on loan, but moved across the City to join the blue revolution in Manchester.

It’s all handbags at ten paces stuff, but it is highly amusing and entertaining. Watching Wayne Rooney doing playground taunts as Tevez was taking his successful penalty kick was a particular highlight. Now it will all be serious again, and will probably account for some fierce challenges going on at Old Trafford. The Ref is probably going to have his hands full. The passion of support surrounding the game really does not need any explanation. The fans will be fired up, the players will be fired up, and the managers will need to try and keep their players focused on the game. A hot headed sending off could cost either side dearly.

Aston Villa await the winners in the Final of the 2010 Carling Cup, after they produced a 10-goal thriller in their second leg against Blackburn. If City and United can produce half of that amount of goals between them on Wednesday night, it will be a fantastic game. The scoreline suggests that City have the edge, but in all honesty, United only have themselves to blame for being behind, as they looked for the large part, certainly in the early stages, to be the better team. With England star Wayne Rooney in red hot form, banging in 4 goals against Hull on the weekend, United at home cannot be counted out of course. That performance seemed to spark a flood of suggestions that he will be leaving Old Trafford for somewhere bigger. The only two teams who would stump up that kind of money would be Real Madrid or Barcelona. Those rumours can be summed up in one word. Unlikely.

Whether it is hairdryer or full on wind tunnel treatment that Ferguson gives his men, he will be ready for Roberto Mancini’s City. They will not like conceding ground at home to their nearest rivals. After receiving long time injured Rio Ferdinand back from injury, the centre half has now been charged with violent conduct for striking a Hull player. Most of Ferguson’s woes this season have come because they have been missing defensive players. This latest episode could lead to a three match ban for Ferdinand. He will still be available for the Carling Cup semi final, but would be missing against their next league match away at Arsenal on Sunday.

City could be a fuller strength than in the first leg, with Kolo Toure back from the African Cup of Nations, and striker Emmauel Adebayor likely to be eased back into action after the tragedy over the attack on the Togo team bus. Tevez again will be the pivotal figure for the light Blues, as he is the creative engine in the side. As for Brazilian forward Robinho, it looks as if he will be leaving Eastlands, at least temporarily, as there are a couple of Brazilian clubs looking to acquire his services on loan. After a long time out injured, he has looked extremely out of touch in his limited appearances back in the team. There will still be no Patrick Vieira for City either, which is a shame, as he is exactly the type of player needed for City in this situation, as he is struggling with a calf injury.

Batten down the hatches and get ready for an absorbing, full on contest between the Manchester rivals. How secure is United’s grip on the Carling Cup as defending champions? Will this herald in a new era of being “the biggest and best football club in the world” for Manchester City?

BETTING STATS

Last 5 Head to Head
Man City 2, Man Utd 1
Man Utd 4, Man City 3
Man Utd 2, Man City 0
Man City 0, Man Utd 1
Man Utd 1, Man City 2

Last 5 Match Goals
Man Utd – 9 For, 4 Against
Man City – 11 For, 6 Against

Last 10 Form (league and cups)
Man Utd – W5, D1, L4
Man City – W7, D1, L2

Win Percentage
Man Utd have a 68.4 win percentage at home
Man City have a 42.9 win percentage away from home

Match Prices (90 minutes)
Man Utd to win: 4/6 at Bet365
Draw: 3/1 at Victor Chandler
Man City to win: 9/2 at SkyBet

Betting Advice: How close is this one going to be? City rode their luck a little bit, and with Rooney looking sharp, it suggest United are going to find the back of the net at some point during the night. United do have an away goal, but that will only count after extra time. If the aggregate scores are level at the end of 90 minutes, then there will be extra time. Only then will the away goal rule come into play at the end of 120 minutes. Having your nose in front already could mean the difference for City. They will have to perform with a little more steel than they did at home. They are in good form though, so edging them with a handicap could pay off:
Man City +0.75 Asian Handicap: 43/40 at Bet365

It has recently come to our attention that there has been a change of fixture scheduling as far as Europe’s elite club competition is concerned. In previous seasons, the last sixteen ties would start with four first leg games on the Tuesday and the other four matches taking place on the Wednesday. This pattern would then be repeated a fortnight later, essentially giving punters four nights on In-Play betting opportunities.

However, it’s all change for season 2009/10. Now there will be two Champions League matches being played on 16th February, 17th February, 23rd February, 24th February, 9th March, 10th March, 16th March and 17th March! Eight evenings where customers can turn on their televisions, log on to their favourite bookmaker such as bet365 or Ladbrokes and decide which of the two matches are most attractive for In-Play betting!

UEFA have clearly identified that the Champions League has now become so popular that the competition can demand high viewing figures when it reaches the business end of proceedings. There are some truly exciting ties taking place, with Jose Mourinho’s return to Chelsea possibly making Inter’s last sixteen game the most attractive. The first leg at the San Siro will be all the better for In-Play betting, considering that the only other match that night is CSKA Moscow v Sevilla, with bookmakers looking forward to increased business as a result.

The bookies are expecting England to have the upper hand over Italy at this stage of the competition, with Paddy Power offering 8/15 that Carlo Ancelotti has the upper hand over his nemesis at Inter. The Italian’s former club Milan entertain Manchester United on 16th February, with all eyes on David Beckham as he looks to help steer the Rossoneri to a memorable victory. However, bet365 offer a best price 4/7 that Sir Alex Ferguson will be having the last laugh, with Milan the 6/4 outsiders (Coral).

Once the competition reaches the quarter finals, we will see a return to the normal format of two matches being played on four separate evenings. While the bookmakers like to promote In-Play excitement during the group stages by stating that punters can bet live on up to eight matches simultaneously, it’s realistically impossible to follow all the matches and place accurate bets on each and every one. For the last sixteen stage, we can watch the games more carefully and hopefully place some informed bets.