Drawing a blank? Goalless draw at 8/1

Also see

• Bet with Sky Bet

Two of sport's great occasions to look forward to this weekend: the Super League Grand Final at Old Trafford and the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp, plus another intriguing set of Premier League fixtures to take on SkyBet with...

Premier League

Hull's victory at the Emirates blew thousands of juicy accumulators out of the water last Saturday and punters need to tread carefully as they bid to make amends this weekend.

Manchester United look like they're clicking into gear and many will have them down as bankers at Blackburn on Saturday but the champions have only won once in the last ten years in the Premier League at Ewood Park - 1-0 in November 2006. Be warned!

Arsenal should do the business at the Stadium of Light though, where they've won their last four games, scoring 11 and conceding none. They've also won the last seven Premier League meetings with Sunderland, scoring 20 goals in the process.

The meat of the Premier League action, and best bets, are on Sunday this week. Like Man Utd, Chelsea are no cert to record their 50th win over Aston Villa.

No one will forget the 4-4 draw at the Bridge on Boxing Day last year. In fact, the last two Premier League meetings at Chelsea have been draws and Villa are unbeaten in the last five League encounters, four of which have ended in stalemate.

Scolari has injuries to key players after Wednesday's trip to Cluj and Martin O'Neill's men are well capable of picking up another point at 3/1 with Sky Bet.

Win, lose or draw, Manchester City are great to watch at the moment and plenty of punters will expect goals galore again on Sunday. However, it should pay to go against the crowd as games against Liverpool have been low-scoring affairs in recent years.

The last seven meetings have produced just five goals, with Fernando Torres' winner at Anfield on May 4th the only goal in the last three games. Liverpool have not conceded in NINE hours of football against City and the last two meetings at Eastlands have ended0-0. A goalless draw at 8-1 is the bet of the weekend.

It's been another great week of Champions League football but not a good one for Celtic fans. However, I was massively impressed with Villarreal on Tuesday night. They defend and pass the ball brilliantly and if they can find a cutting edge will be a match for anyone in the competition, especially at El Madrigal.

Villarreal are a class act and look sure to qualify from Group E so I'm surprised that they're a bigger price than the likes of Juventus and Bayern Munich to win the Champions League and suggest a small each-way bet at Sky Bet's 28/1.

Super League Grand Final

Saturday's Grand Final - live at 5.30pm, Saturday, Sky Sports 1 & HD1 - should be a classic. All the ingredients are there as St Helens look for revenge after last season's Grand Final defeat and Sky Bet have come up trumps with more than 20 markets on the big game!

Everyone seems to think it will be Saints' year and I also think they will win but it will be closer than a lot of people think.

I expect the Rhinos to come charging out of the blocks as they always do and Saints may be a bit rusty after a two-week break (5/1 on the first score being a Leeds penalty kick makes some appeal).

However, I expect St Helens' class to tell in the second half and for them to come from behind and lift the trophy. Therefore Leeds half-time/St Helens full-time at 6/1 looks the call and I can't resist a bet on Kieron Cunningham to win the Harry Sunderland award at 11/1.

Horse Racing

Sunday's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp - my favourite race on the level and the season's middle-distance championship decider. A big field looks on the cards but if the ground rides good or faster I'd rule out Soldier Of Fortune, Youmzain, Getaway and Vision D'Etat, giving us a straight choice between Duke Of Marmalade and Zarkava.

I was utterly seduced by the filly in the Prix Vermeille last month. Dancing Brave's Arc win in 1986 remains the most scintillating piece of flat racing I've ever enjoyed - and memories of his turn of foot were evoked when watching Zarkava scorch to victory at Longchamp.

Duke Of Marmalade will be a tough nut to crack but Zarkava looks special and I strongly fancy her to become the first three-year-old filly to win the Arc for 26 years. Take Skybet's price as I expect the whole of Paris and most of France to back her on the Paris-Mutuel.

Sunday's card is exactly what British racing lacks: one card packed with races to decide the season's champions.

In the sprint championship, the Prix de l'Abbaye, I'm keen to take on the British raiders and the hot favourite Marchand D'Or in favour of the Hungarian-trained Overdose. He's a big price as connections are largely unknown but his last win at Baden-Baden suggested he could embarrass the more well-known names.

Closer to home, Newmarket hosts the Cambridgeshire meeting and the famous handicap can go to the Michael Jarvis' in-form yard with Yaddree (10/1 with Sky Bet). Yaddree defied a two-month absence to win impressively at Newbury last time and is rapidly progressing into a useful colt, who still looks ahead of the handicapper to me.