Ed Chamberlin explores where the value lies as Haye and Ruiz, and Man Utd and Chelsea square up.
Memorable Manchester match-ups on cards
'Highlight of the week': my old sparring partner on Gillette Soccer Specials, Iain Dowie, getting his first win in charge at Hull.
In the studio and reporting from games Iain was always great fun and we had plenty of 'lively' discussions, latterly when I tried to coax out of him if he was heading to the KC.
He is one of the most passionate and innovative thinkers in football and he now has a big chance of keeping Hull up. They are out to even money with Skybet to go down with West Ham shortening all the time in to 6/5.
Dowie played when I last went to Wembley to watch Southampton in the 1992 Zenith Data Systems Final and my other highlight has to be the Saints lifting the Football League Trophy last Sunday.
The M3 was a sea of red and white as 44,000 made the trip to Wembley and it would have been more had the authorities allowed. After a torrid couple of years, happy times have returned to 'that' part of the south coast.
Only a couple of weeks ago the markets were minefields for the title, fourth place and relegation. After last weekend's results things look a good deal clearer now.
Portsmouth could be relegated this weekend if results go against them while Sky Bet think Burnley (1/33) will join them, with one team set to go from the two teams discussed above plus Wigan who are 11/2, Bolton and Wolves 8/1.
The race for fourth is still intriguing with Spurs in the box seat at 5/4 but with a nightmare run-in, and Man City and Liverpool looming menacingly at 2/1.
Arsenal's dropped points at Birmingham last Saturday could be fatal as they are back out to 5/1 to win the title now. Most of the pundits on
Sky Sports News this week think it's a two-horse race with Man Utd at evens and Chelsea, who have had a good midweek without playing and are back in to 11/8 after scoring 12 goals in two games against Portsmouth and Aston Villa.
It's massively exciting to have the big two meeting on Saturday live on Sky Sports HD1 from midday - don't miss it!
I've never known one relatively minor injury have such an impact on the odds - Man Utd were odds-on to win the title before Wayne Rooney twisted his ankle and 11/8 to beat Chelsea.
Now Sky Bet go Man Utd 6/4, draw 9/4 and Chelsea 15/8 for the big game at Old Trafford.
I'm sure all three results will have their supporters and many punters will argue Chelsea should be shorter than 15/8 as Rooney will be missing and they also have the big advantage of having had a rest this week while the fixture is sandwiched between United's two titanic battles with Bayern Munich.
However, Sir Alex and his team thrive on these challenges and are so dangerous to oppose at the moment. If pressed, I would go for the draw at 9/4 but suggest sitting back and enjoying the game between the country's two best sides.
Arsenal (1/5) will certainly hope it finishes in a draw and their players and staff will surely have one eye on Old Trafford ahead of the game against Wolves (14/1). Arsenal won 4-1 at Molineux on November thanks to own goals from Ronald Zubar and Jody Craddock plus strikes from Cesc Fabregas and Andrei Arshavin. Arsenal have now won the last nine meetings in all competitions, scoring 26 goals, and are unbeaten in the last 14 (won 12).
Wolves' last win against Arsenal came 31 years ago - 3-2 in a top flight game at Highbury in September 1979. The Police were number one at the time in the charts with 'Message in a Bottle'.
Another win would surely un-cork Arsenal's title chances. It's actually not that hard to see that happening with the come down effect from Wednesday night's extraordinary game, all the injuries they picked up to key players, and they must surely have one eye on Tuesday night at the Nou Camp. 14/1 on Wolves could be a big price.
The blog had a couple of good results last week with the draw at Molineux at 12/5 and Stoke winning for us at 11/4. However, my prediction of a draw at Stamford Bridge was a shade embarrassing as Chelsea scored their fourth, fifth, six and seventh! My supportive colleague Charlotte Jackson thrived in my adversity on Sunday's show!
Undaunted, I'm going to put my neck on the block and predict another Villa draw on Saturday! They will be desperate to bounce back at Bolton but the home side are going well now under Owen Coyle. Incredibly, eight of the last 13 Premier League meetings have been drawn so 9/4 makes plenty of appeal.
I also fancy Hull to get what could be an invaluable point at Stoke and can't resist a small bet on a 1-1 scoreline at 13/2 as the last three meetings at the Britannia have all ended 1-1.
Sky Bet have a range of markets on the big fight and clearly see David Haye as a virtual good thing on Sky Box Office on Saturday night as he is a 1/7 chance, with John Ruiz being written off as at 9/2. I don't see it that way.
I just worry about Haye's lack of experience and his clear enjoyment of life outside the ring as world champion. He's even going to Old Trafford to watch Man Utd v Chelsea on the day of the fight! I will be fascinated to see what shape he is in at the weigh in live on
Sky Sports News on Friday.
John Ruiz is uncomplicated. He is no world beater with his 44-8-1 record, but is a seasoned, hardened pro who will definitely unsettle Haye and is promising to throw more than 50 punches a round. It will be the 11th time the 38-year-old has fought for a world title - he has held it twice - and I definitely think he has a chance.
Haye is much the classier fighter but has questions to answer still at this level and is a risky proposition at 1/7. Ruiz at 12/1 to win on points is going against the crowd and is certainly where the value lies.
Horse Racing
I'm still recovering from the Cheltenham Festival yet we are just a week away from the start of the Grand National meeting at Aintree!
Sky Bet currently go 7/1 the field for the Grand National itself with Big Fella Thanks topping the list and I know the lovely Alex Quinn is very keen on his chance as I'm sure she will reveal in her excellent blog. (There's a rumour that she might ride in the charity race at the Cheltenham Festival next year.....)
I spoke to Tony McCoy on Monday evening and he confirmed he's leaning towards riding Can't Buy Time in the big one next Saturday (16/1), while my fancy, The Package, is a 14/1 chance. More on the Grand National in next week's blog
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