LFC BET

Reds to keep it tight in Bucharest

2010-02-24T13:44:00.003Z

*** BEFORE looking at Thursday's game, apologies for the disappearing act a few months ago. I'm out now and can tell you, sex addiction clinic is no picnic ***

Unirea v Liverpool

Thursday, 6pm, live on ESPN

The first leg at Anfield was no fun-fest and things shouldn't be too different in Bucharest. Unirea looked a much better side than most people expected but they showed very little going forward.

You would expect them to operate similar tactics again, hoping to keep things tight and then nick a goal some time in the second half.

It's a concern that Unirea beat Seville in their last European home game but Liverpool have become adept again at closing games down and I can't see them letting a goal in. At the same time, there won't be a lot of action at the other end - Liverpool have scored exactly one goal in 10 of their 11 cup games this season.

That makes a nice 1-0 win the most likely result, with a bet also advised on 2-0 in case the home side go too attacking and get caught late on.

SELECTION: Liverpool to win 1-0 (11-2 Sky Bet); Liverpool to win 2-0 (15-2 Sky Bet)

In the first goalscorer market, Dirk Kuyt has a habit of notching in games like this and he looks a a decent bet at 13-2 with Coral to hit the target first.

SELECTION: Dirk Kuyt to score first (13-2 Coral)

REDS TO GET BACK ON TRACK

2009-11-09T17:15:00.004Z

Liverpool v Birmingham

Anfield, Monday, 8pm kick-off

The Reds are just 4-11 to beat Birmingham tonight and, while they should get the three points, the bookies are having a laugh with those odds.
Liverpool are still struggling with a long injury list and Torres may have reached the end of the line thanks to his hernia problems
We could see Ryan Babel given another chance after his wondergoal in Lyon and, along with Kuyt and Benayoun, that should give enough firepower if El Nino is left out.
The Brummies have caused a lot of problems at Anfield in recent seasons, bagging draws that have proven costly, but Benitez seems to have found a formula for beating these so-called lesser teams on his own patch.
So, injuries or no injuries, Liverpool to win and keep a clean sheet is the verdict at 11-10 with most bookies gets the nod.
SELECTION: Liverpool to win to nil (11-10 general)

DRAW THE BEST WE CAN HOPE FOR

2009-11-03T18:46:00.003Z

Match preview
Lyon v Liverpool
Wednesday, 7.45pm, on ITV1
I'm afraid it's only blind faith that stops us backing Lyon to take the points on Wednesday night.
There seems little need to go through the vale of tears again but the performance against Fulham, particularly in the second half, plumbed new depths.
There are lots of excuses - chiefly the crippling injuries depriving Rafa of half his team - but that doesn't change the size of the task ahead.
The chink of light is the performance against Manchester United. Torres was rightly lauded for his brilliant goal but Fabio Aurelio was our man of the match and he'll be missing in France. For whatever reason, Insua has really struggled since playing for Argentina in the World Cup and it was Aurelio who kept Manchester United quiet out wide, not the young left-back.
Lyon attack down the flanks and it will be another test for Insua - so much so that Benitez must be considering playing Agger at left-back or deploying a 3-5-2 formation.
The other spanner in the works is the need for three points. If we scrape a draw, it means Lyon have to beat Fiorentina in Italy for us to have any chance of going through. The mood isn't lifted much when you have a look at the betting for the Europa League - Liverpool are 9-1 favourites!!
Going back to the positives, Lyon are enduring the same kind of run as the Reds in their league, although they did win at the weekend.
But I just cannot make out a credible case for backing Liverpool to win at the general 2-1 on offer. Other than "we always get ourselves out if it" you just can't see Voronin, Ngog, Lucas and the boys digging deep enough to do it.
Lyon are only 11-8 but they won't go all out because they don't have to and the draw looks a good option at 12-5 with Stan James.

SELECTION:
Draw (12-5 Stan James)

GO FOR GOALS

2009-10-23T14:56:00.004+01:00

Match preview

Liverpool v Manchester United

Sunday, 2pm, Live on Sky

So how do you make a case for a home win in Rafa's Benitez's own Grand Slam Sunday (copyright all newspapers) against Manchester United?

Steven Gerrard is missing, Fernando Torres is coming back from injury and Glen Johnson can hardly be expected to fire on all cylinders.

Without Gerrard, Rafa may go 3-5-2 with Kuyt up front with Torres and Aurelio and Johnson as wing-backs. That would put Mascherano and Lucas in central midfield with Benayoun given licence to get forward. I know it didn't work against Sunderland but Rafa doesn't have a lot of options, especially if Insua is injured as well - that certainly seemed to be the case against Lyon. Mascherano was missing at the Stadium Of Light and we couldn't get hold of the ball in central midfield. Should Benitez go for a 4-4-2, I would like to see Agger or even Carra rather than Lucas in the middle of the park but I don't think that will happen.

But it's not all doom and gloom. Manchester United have been spluttering this season and have ridden their luck against Sunderland and Bolton in recent games. They are missing a few as well - possibly Rooney included - and have been leaking goals. And there's another reason to be cheerful in that United had a tough game in Moscow on Wednesday and teams coming off away ties in Europe have a modest Premier League record.

Looking at betting opportunities, the professional bet is for both teams to score in the game at 4-5 with Ladbrokes. Considering the way both teams have been defending, the game is unlikely to be cagey.

Looking for bigger odds, let's be optimistic and have a couple of bets. Firstly on a 2-2 draw, which is a 16-1 chance with Blue Square. Then take Liverpool to win 2-1 at 11-1 with the same firm.

Selections:
Professional bet: Both teams to score at 4-5 with Ladbrokes
Game to end 2-2 at 16-1 with Blue Square
Liverpool to win 2-1 at 11-1 with Blue Square

IT ALL POINTS TO A DRAW

2009-10-16T16:09:00.004+01:00

Match preview: Sunderland v Liverpool

Saturday, October 17. Kick-off: 3pm

As a fan, it's never easy to tip against a Liverpool win but the Reds are not a great price to come out on top at Sunderland this weekend. Just 11-10 is about the best you'll do and that's hardly attractive.

We scraped three points there last season thanks to Nando but it was a poor match and the Black Cats have improved a lot over the past 12 months. Our away form has been patchy to say the least with two defeats away from Anfield already.

On the plus side, we have a cracking record on Wearside with just one defeat in our past 25 clashes with Sunderland up there.

But on the negative, Gerrard and Torres have been struggling with injuries all week and both will be missing. It gives all the usual suspects a chance to stick the knife in and go on about Liverpool being a two-man team but we will be relying on Kuyt and Benayoun to hit the target.

It may even give a chance for crying hole (AKA Ryan Babel) to start but he may have cried wolf too many times for Rafa to take the risk.

To add to matters Javier Mascherano, Lucas and Emiliano Insua are coming into the game on the back of long journeys to play for Brazil and Argentina.

I'd be happy with a draw in the circumstances and that's not a bad bet at 5-2 with Betfred.

SELECTION: Draw at 5-2 with Betfred

ODDS:

Sunderland to win: 3-1 (Betfred)

Liverpool to win: 11-10 (Bet365)

Draw: 5-2 (Betfred)

GO FOR A CRAFTY BLANK AT STAMFORD BRIDGE

2009-10-03T01:49:00.000+01:00

THE last time Liverpool played at Stamford Bridge it was a 4-4 thriller - but the chances of that happening again look as likely as a David Moyes smile.

Should you fancy it, you can get 350-1 with Paddy Power. More realistic is a low scoring draw.

Liverpool may have fired 22 league goals but they haven't played anyone of Chelsea's ability.

Both teams have got points to prove - Chelsea after losing to Wigan in their last league outing and Liverpool after crashing at Fiorentina.

And with that in mind, there's a good chance of a stalemate and history tells us there's been four 0-0s betweeen the sides in just four years.

You can get 9-1 on a 0-0 draw with Sporting Bet.

If you're feeling a little more optimistic you can get a healthy 13-5 on a Reds' win (Ladbrokes).

Scoring-wise Fernando Torres is the man on fire, sitting top of the scorers' chart with eight goals. Coral's 2-1 for anytime goal is a tempter.

ADVICE: 0-0 draw (9-1 Sporting Bet)

REDS DRIFT IN CHAMPIONS LEAGUE BETTING

2009-09-30T17:00:00.003+01:00

THE REDS are out to 10/1, from 9/1, to win the Champions League following the flop in Florence. But Rafa Benitez's men are still 2/7 to qualify, 5/2 to miss out, for the knock out stages despite Fiorentina's triumph.

I can't see us missing out on the next stage though – I think we'll beat Lyon and Fiorentina at home and Debrecen away and that will be more than enough.

REDS GO WITH THE FLO

2009-09-29T16:36:00.004+01:00

Match preview: Fiorentina v Liverpool
Champions League, Tues Sep 29, KO: 7.45

There was a lot of huffing and puffing as Liverpool laboured to beat a Debrecen side that were a bit better than expected last time. But we got the job done and can just edge a tight game in Florence tonight.
The Italians haven't been firing on all cylinders this season but are unbeaten at home where their defence has been tight. That said, they haven't come up against anyone with Liverpool's class - and have been toppled on the road by Roma and Lyon, two sides you'd fancy us to beat.
The Viola drew two and lost one of their home Champions League group games last season so there's nothing to fear from Adrian Mutu and Co.
Rafa's European record speaks for itself and a repeat of the 1-0 scoreline achieved against Inter on Liverpool's last trip to Italy is on the cards.
So the choice is to back Liverpool to win to nil at 23-10 with Paddy Power or have a bet on the 0-1 scoreline at 6-1 generally with a saver on 0-2 at 8-1 with Paddy. That's what I'm doing.
Looking at the goalscorer markets, this is the kind of game where Dirk Kuyt often pops up and he's worth a look for the first goal at 8-1 with totesport.
SELECTION: Half your stake on Liverpool to win 1-0 (6-1 general) and half on Liverpool to win 2-0 (8-1 Paddy Power)

NANDO TO GIVE HULL HELL

2009-09-25T14:20:00.002+01:00

Match preview
Liverpool v Hull
Saturday, 3pm
Hull’s 2-2 draw at Anfield last season was one of the games that cost us the title – and lightning won’t strike twice this Saturday.
Two things have happened since that day in December – Hull have transformed into a mid-table Championship side and the Reds have learned how to break down teams at home.
That’s not to take Hull lightly but Phil Brown is still paying the price for his infamous on-field rant. The Tigers have won a grand total of two from 27 league games since then - and they look destined for the drop unless things turn around quickly.
Liverpool had to huff and puff to beat West Ham on Saturday but they got the job done and sit third in the table.
There is still lots to worry about, with the defence looking weaker than normal as teams suss out that our two full-backs – excellent players they may be – are both poor in the air. That’s put the pressure on the two centre-backs at set-pieces with predictable results.
But the good thing is that Benitez hasn’t gone down the route of beefing up the defence and seems to have adopted the view that it’s better to attack.
But enough of the waffle – how do we make a shilling out of a game where the Reds are 1-6 for the win?
Fernando Torres’ record at home is amazing – with only the Burnley game drawing a blank in the league this season. So with 3-1 on offer with Sky Bet about El Nino bagging at least a double, that looks the way to go.

SELECTION: Fernando Torres to score two or more goals at 3-1 with Sky Bet

ELL CAN BE HEAVEN FOR BABEL

2009-09-22T00:58:00.004+01:00

Leeds v Liverpool: Carling Cup Third Round, September 22, Kick off 7.45pm (Live Sky Sports 2)

LIKE it or not, the Carling Cup is bottom of the list of priorities for Liverpool and Rafa Benitez is sure to give the fringe players a run tonight at Elland Road.

Saying that the side should not be short on quality. Daniel Agger and Fabio Aurelio look set to start as does Ryan Babel, who has denied he wants a move away from Anfield.

Babel played the "lost in translation" card in explaining why stories emerged quoting him as wanting a move to Ajax. But whether you believe him or not he is sure to be fired up for tonight's clash after two decent showings from the bench last week.

If you regularly back Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrrard in the goalscoring market, save your money. Neither is likely to start tonight.

ADVICE: Ryan Babel anytime goal 5-2 (extrabet)

HAMMER TIME!

2009-09-18T21:19:00.004+01:00

West Ham v Liverpool
(Saturday, September 19, kick-off 5.30pm, live on ESPN)

A FLICK through the cliche book shows that winning while not playing well is "the sign of champions".

It's not the really the time for that kind of talk right now - but there's no doubt that's what Liverpool are doing at the moment.

The Reds are hit and miss over 90 minutes at this stage of the season but are still racking up the wins - and the goals (eight in 3 games).

The 1-0 win over Debrecen was the third in a row and the smart money is on Liverpool to extend that run at Upton Park.

Rafa Benitez has virtually a full strength squad at his disposal with just Daniel Agger, who is close to a return, Nabil El Zhar and Alberto Aquilani missing out.

The line up is likely to include three former Hammers: Glen Johnson, Javier Mascherano and Yossi Benayoun, the star of the show in the last league outing against Burnley, when the Reds won 4-0.

West Ham have failed to score in their last three games against Liverpool.

And Gianfranco Zola's side have suffered five defeats in a row against Big Four sides, failing to score each time.

So whatever your punt 'West Ham nil' should be part of it.

ADVICE:

Prediction
West Ham 0 Liverpool 2 (13-2 Skybet)

Yossi Benayoun to score
The win market is pretty crap as a Reds win is widely expected, best price is 4-7 (various). Fernando Torres will always be a good goalscorer bet but, by his own admission, he isn't in top form. Yossi Benayoun, Liverpool's joint top-scorer on three goals, is in good form and facing his former club. He's 11-4 (extrabet) to be an anytime goalscorer and 9-1 to be first goalscorer (extrabet).

Steven Gerrard to score from outside the box in 90 minutes (8-1 Paddy Power)

Stevie was inches away from another 20-yard beauty in the week and he's sure to try his luck against the Hammers.

LIVERPOOL v DEBRECEN PREVIEW

2009-09-15T22:55:00.001+01:00

Champions League, Wednesday, 7.45pm on ITV1

If Liverpool get beat by Debrecen tonight I'll bear my backside in Woolies' window – and the shop's been shut for six months. Whichever way you look at it, the Reds should have far too much power for the meek Magyars.

They were stuffed by that team in Salford on their last visit to England in 2005 and are likely to freeze on the Anfield stage tonight. We saw against Burnley what Liverpool can do when they click against a modest team and, hopefully, Rafa will keep the tinkering to the minimum.

But how do you make a few bob on a team that's 1-10 to win the game. If you want to do a Doddy and get the life savings out from under the bed, this is probably the night to do it – with a 10% return not bad for 90 minutes' work.

In the real world, the Reds are 10-11 to win both halves with Sky Bet which isn't half-bad for anyone who likes a shorty. Looking at the shite or bust column, Fernando Torres is 14-1 to bag a hat-trick with Corals, while Stevie Gee is 25s with Betfred to hit three.

But Dirk Kuyt has a decent record in Europe and hopefully he'll be kept through the middle. So the advice is Dirk Kuyt to score two or more in the game at 15-2 with William Hill. And I wouldn't put anyone off a small nibble on the Dutchman making it three at 33s with the same firm.

If you can, wait until the teams are announced just in case Rafa's done something daft with the team but if he starts, Dirk will get in the goals.

ADVICE: Liverpool to win both halves at 10-11 with Sky Bet

Dirk Kuyt to score two or more at 15-2 with William Hill

BIG TWO CAN SINK CLARETS

2009-09-10T19:08:00.005+01:00

Betting preview: Liverpool v Burnley - Saturday, 3pm

HERE'S a stat to chew over before the Reds take on Burnley on Saturday - Liverpool haven't lost against a newly-promoted side in the past nine seasons.

At a best price of 1-5, we won't get rich backing Liverpool to beat the Clarets but there are a couple of other markets to take an interest in.

We got some joy against Bolton backing Torres and Gerrard to hit the target and that's worth another go at 11-4 with Sky Bet.

Stevie's goalscoring form continued against Croatia in an England shirt, while Torres has an incredible record of hitting the target at Anfield.

SELECTIONS: Torres and Gerrard to both score at 11-4 with Sky Bet

LIVERPOOL FC: A REEBOK CLASSIC BUT BOOKIES AREN'T BUYING IT

2009-08-31T01:21:00.005+01:00

MOST lads in Liverpool like Reebok Classics (I've had a couple of pairs myself) - but Saturday's five-goal Reebok classic didn't convince the bookies.

The Reds might have overcome Bolton 3-2 but they're now out to 8-1 to win the league (various).

You can even get 2-1 (extrabet) on a top two finish.

As predicted in our preview both Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard found the net.

And our tip for Glen Johnson to win goal of the season again still looks a good flutter as he enhanced his reputation as one of he best attacking full backs with another all action show and a goal from outside the box.

BETTING PREVIEW: BOLTON v LIVERPOOL

2009-08-28T00:48:00.007+01:00

Reebok Stadium, Saturday, August 29, kick off 3pm

THREE games into the season and already it's a "must-win".

Ridiculous but true, and to make matters worse Rafa is favourite to be the first manager in the Premier League to get the chop (11-10 SkyBet, 3-1 Coral).

A bet on Benitez doesn't really add up though - if Liverpool are as skint as everyone says they are how will they pay off Rafa AND cough up the cash to tempt an incoming manager?

Back to the match, and a lot of Reds will have a twitchy bum thinking about this one.

But that slight fear stems from the days of Big (fat head) Sam Allardyce. His up and at 'em style bothered the Reds many a time.

It's a different story under Gary Megson so far - he's made the mistake of trying to get Wanderers playing football.

Our record against Bolton is a lot better than you'd think - we've won our last five, including two at the Reebok.

And in those games we've fired 15 goals, conceding just one.

Bolton are yet to score in the Premier League this season and with the Reds smarting from the Monday night defeat to Aston Villa, and the clamour to write them off in the wake of that game, you'd think they would be in the mood to put things right.

Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard were both off-colour on Monday - and Liverpool's world-class pair rarely have two bad games in a row.

With fall-guy Lucas again in the spotlight for the all the wrong reasons after an own goal against Villa, he could be benched with Gerrard dropping to midfield and Yossi Benayoun playing behind Torres.

New signing Sotirios Kyrgiakos could start in place of Martin Skrtel who is still nursing a broken jaw.

The 6ft 5ins Greek defender could offer a goal threat - he scored eight goals in two seasons for Eintracht Frankfurt, not too shabby for a centre half.

STATS v BOLTON:

Total Games 143. Goals Scored 241, Goals Conceded 186. Win % 41.96, Wins 60, Draws 37, Lost 46.

LAST SEASON:

November 15, 2008@Reebok: Bolton 0-2 Livepool (Kuyt 28, Gerrard 72).
December 26, 2008@Anfield: Liverpool 3-0 Bolton (Riera 25, Keane 52, 57)

ADVICE:

Liverpool were poor against Villa but still created a hatful of chances while Bolton are struggling. Hard to see anything but an away win.

Liverpool 4-7 to win (various)

Key pair Torres and Gerrard will have taken recent criticism from Benitez to heart and will be keen to put things right.

Gerrard and Torres to both score against Bolton (7-2 SkyBet)

The Reds will be quick out of the traps as they try to grab the win early and put their poor start to bed.

Half-time/Full-time betting - Liverpool-Liverpool- i.e. to be winning at the end of each half (6-4 William Hill)

Sotirios Kyrgiakos will be eager to impress on his debut and - unlike Skrtel who stayed back because of his jaw injury against Villa - will go up for corners.

Anytime goalscorer Kyrgiakos (12-1 William Hill)

PREDICTION:

Bolton 0-2 Liverpool (13-2 extrabet)

TORRES GOAL WAS SPAIN IN THE ARSE FOR SKYBET

2009-08-26T01:27:00.006+01:00

AT LEAST we weren't the only ones crying into our pints on Monday night...

Because while Liverpool fans drank to forget a dreadful performance at Anfield against Villa, the oddsmakers at Sky Bet were regretting dreaming up one particular special bet.

Fernando Torres' goal in the 3-1 defeat meant they had to cough up a six-figure liability on an enhanced goalscorer special - to the delight of around 2,000 punters.

Going into the weekend, the Harrogate-based bookie offered enhanced odds of 20/1 for Wayne Rooney, Emmanuel Adebayor, Didier Drogba and Torres all to score in their respective matches.

Sky Bet's Helen Jacob said: "Torres scoring capped off a terrible weekend of football results. The 20/1 for all four players to score was the best in the industry so it's little wonder that it was popular."

Bet now at Paddy Power

VULTURES CIRCLING OVER BENITEZ

2009-08-25T22:44:00.005+01:00

AFTER losing two of the first three games, the bookies are trying to stir things up at Anfield.

Someone in Speke must have had 50p on Rafa to be the next gaffer to get the sack as he's now 11-10 favourite.

It's also a worrying 8-13 that Rafa won't last the season.

In further depressing news, the bookies expect the Reds to finish fifth or worse this season, with Paddy Power pricing that up at 7-4.

Optimists should get right over to Betfred who are offering 9-1 for Liverpool winning the title.

We can't let this post finish on a low - the Toffees have been slashed to 16-1 for relegation on the back of their even worse start to the season than us.

BACK STEVIE TO BE A THRILLER AGAINST VILLA

2009-08-24T12:07:00.005+01:00

SOME players just like playing against certain clubs.

For Ian Rush it was Everton (25 goals), for Steven Gerrard, it's Aston Villa.

The Reds skipper has burst the net 10 times against the Brummies, his highest tally against any club.

And who can forget his hat-trick last season at Anfield as we ran out 5-0 winners.

Gerrard is 11-2 with Paddy Power to be the first goalscorer tonight - and 13-8 to score at any time during the game.

And as Gerrard favours banging them in from all angles, a punt on him to score from outside the box could also be worth a poke - 11-2 with Ladbrokes.

HILLS SEE MONEY FOR RAFA TO LEAVE

2009-08-19T16:15:00.003+01:00

RAFA BENITEZ has been the subject of a gamble concentrated in the Kent and Bristol areas to be the first Premiership manager to leave his club this season - with William Hill slashing his odds from 20/1 to 11/2 third favourite.

"We have seen a string of punters asking for bets of up to £300 a time for Benitez to be the first boss to go" said Hill’s spokesman Graham Sharpe.

"I’m not sure whether Rafa has friends or family in Bristol and, or, Kent, but you can’t take chances in markets like this. We have cut his odds several times but are still seeing interest even at 11/2."

Hills offer 2/5 that Benitez will still be Liverpool boss on the last day of the season and 7/4 that he will not.

William Hill: First Prem boss to go: 11/4 Phil Brown; 9/2 Paul Hart; 11/2 Benitez; 6/1 McLeish; 15/2 Zola; 8 Hughes; 12 Megson; 20 Martinez.

LIVERPOOL V STOKE PREVIEW

2009-08-19T14:10:00.004+01:00

All of a sudden, there's real pressure on the Reds to win after their poor show at White Hart Lane on Sunday.

Despite first thoughts, it looks Rafa will have no choice but to move Steven Gerrard back into midfield after Lucas failed to fill Xabi Alonso's boots against Tottenham.

Benitez could keep faith with the Brazilian and effectively swap him with Gerrard for tonight's game but a much wiser move would be to play Benayoun off Torres with Stevie a bit deeper.

Stoke's finest hour on their travels last season came with a dull 0-0 draw at Anfield and they will pack the midfield in the hope of pulling off a similar result.

That makes it even more important for our men in the middle to be creative and create at least one chance for Torres - something that didn't happen against Tottenham

With Liverpool long odds-on for the win, the advice is to back Yossi Benayoun to get on the scoresheet at some point - that's 16-5 with Paddy Power and looks a decent bet.

Advice: Benayoun to score at 16-5 with Paddy Power

BOOKIES WRITE REDS OFF ALREADY

2009-08-17T11:19:00.003+01:00

RAFA may have been waving his glasses around at the press conference but the bookies spotted Liverpool's poor show against Tottenham - and promptly pushed the Reds out for the title.

Manchester United's official bookmaker Betfred are now offering 5-1 about the Premier League pennant flying at Anfield come the middle of May.

Only totesport have kept the faith and still go 100-30.

Chelsea are now as low as 13-8 with Manyoo staying put on 9-4 after their uninspiring win over Birmingham. The biggest movers are Arsenal who have been slashed to 5-1 (yes, the same price as us!) after their demolition job at Goodison.

In the light of the White Hart Lane debacle, Benitez has been cut from 33s to 20-1 to be the next Premier League boss to get the bullet.

And to round up this depressing post, the Reds are now 1-2 to win nothing this season.

SPURS v LIVERPOOL PREVIEW

2009-08-13T15:56:00.006+01:00

AFTER last season's comedy defeat, there would be easier places for the Reds to start the season but they can come away from White Hart Lane with three points on Sunday.

Spurs have won just two of the past 14 meetings between the teams, while Liverpool have won five of the past seven - strong stats in favour of the Reds.

And looking beyond the numbers, Harry Redknapp has been busy in the summer again and has several new players to fit into an already unsettled squad.

There will be real threat in attack from Defoe, Crouch, Keane and Lennon, but a half-fit Ledley King, inconsistent Sebastian Bassong and woeful full-backs leave the home side dodgy at the back.

For Liverpool, Lucas is likely to fill the void left by Alonso and the good news about Carragher and Skrtel shaking off their knocks means we should be strong at the back.

Gerrard should be OK after the "groin strain" that kept him out of the England game meaning pretty much a full-strength team.

Liverpool look a solid bet at 13-10 which is a decent price for the straight win in a Premier League game.

If you like to chase a bigger return, Liverpool are 3-1 with Paddy Power to win and keep a clean sheet, while it's 7-1 with Sky Bet for the Reds to win both halves.

Basically, this bet treats each half as a separate game and Liverpool have to win both for a pick-up.

I may have said I don't normally do first goalscorer bets but Fernando Torres isn't normally 11-2 to get the first goal. Most bookies are going 9-2 so get over to Coral and claim the bigger odds before they spot the rick.

For anyone who likes tilting at a big payout, open an account with Paddy Power as they are offering 40-1 about a Torres hat-trick at White Hart Lane.

ADVICE:
Main bet: Liverpool to win at 13-10 with Coral
Plus: Fernando Torres to score first goal at 11-2 with Coral or 15-8 to score anytime with the same firm

BEST PRICES (these are online, shops can vary):
Tottenham win: 23-10 (Paddy Power, Boylesports)
Draw: 12-5 (Boylesports)
Liverpool win: 13-10 (Coral)

First scorer:
Torres 13-2 (Coral), Gerrard 13-2 (Power, Sky), Keane 8-1 (Lads), Defoe 8-1 (Lads), Kuyt 8-1 (general), Crouch 9-1 (general), No goalscorer 9-1 (Sky), Ngog 9-1 (general), Pavlyuchenko 9-1 (general), Babel 10-1 (Bluesq), Voronin 10-1 (Sky), Benayoun 12-1 (general), Riera 14-1 (general), Lucas 22-1 (Power), Johnson 28-1 (Coral), Agger 28-1 (general), Dossena 33-1 (general), Mascherano 33-1 (general), Insua 40-1 (Power).

Anytime scorer:
Torres 15-8 (Coral), Gerrard 21-10 (Power), Kuyt 11-4 (Power), Voronin 7-2 (Sky), Ngog 7-2 (Power), Babel 4-1 (extrabet), Benayoun 9-2 (extrabet), Riera 11-2 (Power).

To score a hat-trick:
Torres 40-1 with Paddy Power
Gerrard 80-1 with Paddy Power
Dirk Kuyt 100-1 with Paddy Power
To score two or more:
Torres 9-1 with Paddy Power
Gerrard 16-1 with Paddy Power
Kuyt 20-1 with Paddy Power

ALL-TIME LEAGUE HEAD-TO-HEAD RECORD
Spurs: 36 Draw: 34 Liverpol: 62

2008/2009
Premier Liverpool 3-1 Tottenham
Premier Tottenham 2-1 Liverpool
2007/2008
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Premier Liverpool 2-2 Tottenham
2006/2007
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Premier Liverpool 3-0 Tottenham
2005/2006
Premier Liverpool 1-0 Tottenham
Premier Tottenham 0-0 Liverpool
2004/2005
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2003/2004
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2002/2003
Premier Tottenham 2-3 Liverpool
Premier Liverpool 2-1 Tottenham

LIVERPOOL FC 2009/10 SEASON PREVIEW

2009-08-11T13:04:00.009+01:00

WILL WE WIN THE LEAGUE?
LFCTIPSTER: From a betting point of view, we are the only serious proposition.

The bookies have already got carried away with the Charity Shield win and cut Chelsea to as short as 2-1 in some places, with Paddy Power even making them favourites ahead of the Mancs who are a best price of 5-2 with Ladbrokes.

Now there is an unwritten rule in gambling that if Ladbrokes offer the biggest price about something, it doesn't usually win.

If they are willing to offer the best price about Manyoo on the high street it's because they want punters to back Taggart's boys with them. That's good news for us.

Aside from the odds, United have lost their aura - as Andrew Strauss might say.

Apart from Wayne Rooney, there's no player that strikes genuine fear into opposition defenders like Ronaldo did. So even when he was having a poor game, the opposition were that scared of him that they would give other players too much time and space.

That's not going to happen this season.I am amazed Taggart hasn't bought a star midfielder as Darren Fletcher, Michael Carrick and Anderson (along with geriatrics Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs) aren't going to scare anyone.

And fair play to Valencia, he works hard and tackles back but he isn't going to single-handedly win you the title.

But will we win the league - cliche of choice is that it's ours to lose. The loss of Alonso is a blow as I would have been hugely confident with him in the side. But Aquilani has a touch of class about him and will be a decent replacement if staying fit.

We have the world's best striker in Torres who, despite injuries, nearly got us home last season. If he stays fit and Gerrard is kept to his attacking role, no team can stop them.

Elsewhere, Dirk Kuyt came on a bundle last year as did Benayoun who started to look decent towards the end of the season. Those two need to score more and Babel needs to make more of an impact but they are capable of doing so.

We'll still be solid at the back and I rate our chances of the title at roughly the same as United and Chelsea - and we are double the price of those two. At Betfred's 4-1 we are a cracking bet.

ROBBO: We seem to have been written off left, right and centre - by fans, the experts, the newspapers - but there's no doubt we can do it.

Yes, Alonso has gone but his contribution is being overstated - he was good, but he was rarely a matchwinner. With Chelsea adapting to a new manager, and the Mancs to life after Ronnie Embarker, the chance is there - now we've got to take it.

With Torres and Stevie kicking off the season fit and ready, the signs are good. We were playing the best football in the league at the end of last season - if we can pick up where we left off we'll take some stopping.

I think that spell last season was a watershed for Benitez. He realised what his side is capable of when the shackles are off and he's making the right noises about going for it more at home when teams 'park the bus'.

Glen Johnson should help in those circumstances and don't rule out improved contributions from David N'Gog and, wait for it, Lucas. Yes, really!

IF NOT US THEN WHO?
LFCTIPSTER: Chelsea - even though they have brought Ancelotti in to win the Champions League first and foremost. They have a well-balanced and big squad with only right-back a weakness.
I expect to see United spend big in January for a poacher but they shouldn't be good enough.

ROBBO: Chelsea. I've got my doubts about Ancelotti in the Prem but the team almost manages itself and I can't see Carlo alienating half the squad like Scolari.

As for the Mancs, I think they're in for a shock. They winged it at the end of last season and teams have finally seen the light and realised you can win at OT...thanks, of course, to us thumping them 4-1 there!

WHO'LL BE OUR PLAYER OF THE YEAR?
LFCTIPSTER: If we win the title it will have to be Torres as it will be his goals that get us there. Having said that, Reds' fans like to look beyond the obvious and I wouldn't rule out Dirk Kuyt.

ROBBO: Stevie G. With his court case behind him, I think Huyton's finest will hit top form and if he stays up front I fancy him to smash the 20-goal mark. Outside bet, I'll go with Johnson, he's been consistently good in the Prem and you've got to fancy him to get even better with a higher class of player around him.

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE GLORY?
LFCTIPSTER: Without resorting to one of Rafa's bits of paper in a press conference, the squad isn't big enough to win the title and the Champions League.

As we showed last season, we can beat any team in Europe and, granted a decent draw, we should be right up there. But if we get to the last eight, it could have a huge impact on our chances of winning the title as the dreaded squad rotation could rear its ugly head again.

ROBBO: When it comes to us and Big Ears, you never say never. But whereas Rafa's kept his powder dry for Europe in past years, I think this time the emphasis will be the league - and we could slip up playing the fringe men in Europe. Saying that Krisztian Nemeth, Jay Spearing and N'Gog look ready to shine and if the draws are kind, who knows?

TOP SCORER?
LFCTIPSTER: If it's not Torres then we're in big trouble.
ROBBO: Torres, all day.

WHO'S DUE A BIG YEAR?
LFCTIPSTER: The supporting cast is due a big year. I am talking about everyone except Reina, Carragher, Mascherano, Gerrard and Torres.

That spine of the team can be relied on every week and now they need backing up by the rest of the side.

In particular, it's time for Benayoun to step forward. There is a real chance for him to make an impact this season with Albert Riera falling into the trap of not being crap but not being good enough.

If Yossi can score more goals and take some of the pressure off the front two, we will be a more rounded team.

We could also do with either Aurelio or Insua settling down at left-back - the latter would be a bonus as he's stronger defensively. That might give Rafa a chance to put Aurelio in a middle of midfield a bit more - he looked good there to me.

ROBBO: Lucas. I honestly believe he's got it in his locker to be a decent player, and with Alonso gone, now's his chance. He's shown he's got what it takes - think Inter Milan away.

He just needs to find that level consistently. Rafa could help him, too. He's not the man to be taking the ball off the defence as Xabi did. He needs to be involved further up the park, so a tweak in tactics could benefit him.

NOW BIG SAMI HAS GONE, WHO'S WORTH A PUNT FOR FIRST GOALSCORER?
LFCTIPSTER: Without coming over all footy bore, Sami was never really worth a punt for first goalscorer.

In fact, trying to find the first scorer is a fruitless task and one that I wouldn't recommend.

Instead, you can do anytime scorer with most bookies. Obviously the prices are much shorter but, over a season, you have a much higher chance of winning.

If you insist on going for the first scorer, you can only really stick to Torres and Gerrard as they score most of our goals.

ROBBO: The Sami bet was the one you expected to lose - so when it came in it was all the sweeter. When in the side, Agger's worth a punt because he likes to stride forward and unleash the odd thunderbolt.

The Dane goes up for corners, too. If he's not in the mix, go for Glen Johnson. He might be a right back, but when it comes to goals he's no Rob Jones!

SO WHAT ABOUT SPURS ON THE FIRST DAY?
LFCTIPSTER: This is possibly the worst game we could get first up.

They are not big rivals so there's no "grandslam Sunday" feeling to it but they are easily capable of upsetting us, like last season.

On the plus side, their new defender Sebastian Bassong is hardly Ronald Koeman and his partner Ledley King has had just one game in pre-season. So their defence won't be at its strongest.

That should be like a red rag to Gerrard and Torres to get stuck in.
Then there's our pre-season form - I'm delighted we've been so bad, getting the bad run out of the way early etc.

I'll have a closer look when we've got the internationals out of the way but, despite my usual pessimism, we should be OK for three points.

ROBBO: Last season's trip to the Lane was a joke, we battered them and got beat. I fancy our chances of revenge.

Harry's been flashing the cash so the home fans will expect them to go for the win. That will play into our hands and I expect us to pick them off on the counter attack. I'm going for 2-0 to the Reds.

WHY PHIL SHOULD HAVE BROWN TROUSERS

2009-08-02T13:11:00.006+01:00

RAFA BENITEZ is 21-1 to be the first Premier League manager to get the chop in the new season - but don't waste your cash.
After guiding the Reds to second in the top flight and racking up their highest-ever points tally in 'the modern era', the popular Spaniard won't be getting his coat just yet.
Phil Brown, on the other hand, looks a tastily-priced 8-1 with Willy Hill.
Brown's Hull side finished the season with a 10-match winless streak, even losing their must-win match at home to Manchester United (reserves) on the last day.
The Tigers also went from October until March without chalking up a victory in the Premier League.
Brown - English football's very own Tango man - has also failed big time in the transfer market this summer and add to that his dodgy singing voice, rows with players, managers, refs...everyone - and surely Hull chairman Paul Duffen must be sharpening his axe soon.
Oh and another thing - do you really think the players have forgiven him for that humiliating half-time team talk on the pitch at Man City? Nope, us neither.
Others: Mark Hughes 6; Alex McLeish 6; Gary Megson 17; Moyes 26.

CAN IT BE A PERFECT 10?

2009-08-02T12:27:00.002+01:00

SKY BET are offering a bit of a sneaky bet at the moment - 9-2 that the Reds go the first ten games of their Premier League campaign unbeaten.
I say sneaky, because on the surface it looks a decent punt given our boys lost just two games in the Premier League last season.
I'm sure many will be drawn in, but a look at the fixtures shows why this one should be approached with caution.
Spurs (a), Stoke (h), Villa (h), Bolton (a), Burnley (h). So far, so good you might think.
But look at the next five: West Ham (a), Hull (h), Chelsea (a), Sunderland (a), Man United (h).
After our superb performances againt Chelski and the Mancs last season there's no reason we can't play the pair of them off the park again.
But suddenly 9-2 for this bet doesn't look so good...

79-1 FOR THE QUADRUPLE

2009-07-29T15:57:00.003+01:00

BETFAIR have a market on which trophies the Reds will carry off this season. We'll gloss over the 4-7 on offer about the total being zero and aim onward and upward.
There is plenty of money available to back the quadruple at 79-1, with the Champions League and Premier League a 33-1 shot.

BHOYS TO OVERPOWER DINAMO

2009-07-29T15:11:00.006+01:00

Celtic v Dinamo Moscow
Wednesday, 7.45 kick-off
WE'RE obviously obsessed with the Reds on LFCBET but there's no harm in trying to take a few quid off the bookies in other games.
And we get our first chance for a bit of competitive action tonight as Celtic take on Dinamo Moscow at Parkhead. The Bhoys have a brilliant record at home in Europe and better teams than the Russkies have left Glasgow potless.
But this won't be a pushover for Tony Mowbray's team - Dinamo are halfway through their season and are just four points off the lead. They are Houllier-esque in their tactics and keep plenty of men behind the ball, making it difficult to create chances.
They are led from the back by Russian international Denis Kolodin and Celtic will do well to score more than a couple. The advice is to have two bets, both at 11-2 with Coral - a 1-0 Celtic win and a 2-0 Celtic win.
Selections:
Celtic to win 1-0 at 11-2 with Coral
Celtic to win 2-0 at 11-2 with Coral

GLEN JOHNSON - EXCLUSIVE

2009-07-28T13:10:00.004+01:00

PADDY POWER have offered 100-1 for Glen Johnson to win the Match of the Day Goal of the Season award for the second year running.
Following my post about Johnson below, I got in touch with Power to find out what they would offer for our marauding right back.

And given his form, I was shocked at their answer – it's got to be worth a fiver of anyone's money!

PADDY'S GETTING THE DOUBLES IN

2009-07-28T00:43:00.003+01:00

PLACE your bet with Paddy Power if you're going to back the Reds to win the league before the season starts.
Liverpool are 3-1 to put us out of our misery this year with Power. Coral and BetFred are both offering 7-2 - but Paddy's pipped them with a special ante-post offer.
Because if you get your bet on before the first game of the season kicks off at 12.45pm on August 15 and Liverpool go on to win the double (Prem & FA Cup) your winnings will be doubled.
And if the Prem, FA Cup and the Champions League all come home this season, they will treble the odds.
Come in handy to pay for all the ale that...

CAN GLEN DO IT AGAIN?

2009-07-28T00:09:00.004+01:00

"GLEN Johnson won't score a better goal for a long, long time - if ever..."
So said the Match of the Day commentator when our new right back belted his MOTD Goal of the Season past Hull last season.
Wanna bet mate? Johnno is surrounded by better quality players this season and Rafa Benitez has already said he wants bigger goal contributions from the rest of the team after an over-reliance on the genius of Stevie and Nando.
So Glen is sure to get a chance or two to let a few thunderbolts go.
And if you think lightning will strike twice and he'll win the MOTD award again, it's worth asking Paddy Power for a price.
They've listed the market but not even quoted for Glen! Nando, of course, is in there and he's the joint favourite at 20-1 with Didier Drogba and Michael Owen (since when do you get a goal of the season in the six-yard box?)
Steven 'Rocky' Gerrard is 25s and Dirk 'Rocky Dennis' Kuyt is 40s.

Others: Rooney 22, Arshavin 25, Modric 40.

WHY THE LONG FACE, HARRY?

2009-07-25T16:37:00.009+01:00

JUST three weeks to go to the big kick off - and an end to the long faces of die-hard Reds being dragged around Liverpool One by the missus.
And talking of long faces, what about Harry Redknapp?
The Spurs boss is famed for his ducking-and-a-diving in the transfer market and he needs to do a bit of that - and soon.
Redknapp is facing the prospect of fielding a team against our boys on August 16 without a recognised centre back.
Ledley King, Jonathan Woodgate and Michael Dawson are all set to miss out through injury when we visit White Hart Lane.
And in last night's friendly against Barcelona, 'Arry was forced to field midfield man Tom Huddlestone and right back Vedran Corluka at centre half.
Hmmm, Torres first goal anyone?
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3-1 FOR THE REDS TO HAVE BEST DEFENCE

2009-07-25T12:09:00.009+01:00

LIVERPOOL'S defence has been tighter than Arsene Wenger's transfer budget in the last few years.
Last season in the Premier League the Red men conceded just 27 goals in 38 games - three more than the Mancs and Chelsea.
But then we did rattle in 77 goals while our big-spending rivals managed 68 each.
In 2008 we ended the season having conceded 28 - six more than the Mancs - and in 2007 it was 27 again (three more than Chelsea).
So we're talking slim margins here. Which is why Paddy Power's 3-1 for Liverpool to finish the season with the best Premier League defence looks worth a flutter.
If you're a bit of a Glen Johnson and you prefer to think about attack more than defence, you can get the same price with Power for the Reds to finish the season as the league's top scorers.
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TORRES TO SCORE MORE THAN OWEN? IT'S 99% CERTAIN...

2009-07-24T01:10:00.010+01:00

IT'S not like we needed telling. But Betfair have confirmed what we already knew - when it comes to scoring goals, Fernando Torres is in a different league to Michael Owen.
On Betfair you can bet on Owen v Torres - and if you fancy Nando to trounce the Welsh boy in the goalscoring charts the odds are a staggering 1-100!
Owen - and a tie - are 2-1.

Goal Videos

FER WE GO: Torres' first Premier League goal

NANDO AND STEVIE - THE PERFECT PAIR

2009-07-23T21:07:00.005+01:00

LOOKING at the stats for last season one thing quickly becomes clear, Liverpool didn't lose a game when both Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard started.
Injuries kept it down to 11 times last season but it was eight wins and three draws - including the 2-0 win at Goodison, the 4-1 at Manyoo and the 2-0 at home to Chelsea.
More to the point, there was only one game where the Reds didn't score with them both starting the match - the frustrating home match against Stoke when Gerrard had a good goal disallowed.

At the other end of the spectrum comes poor old Lucas. He started 11 games last season, and just five of them were wins. Six were drawn, netting a big profit from backing the draw every time the Brazilian started a game.

We'll go through the squad player by player before the season starts - so stay tuned . . .

HOPES ARE SKY HIGH FOR RY

2009-07-23T12:54:00.005+01:00

RAFA BENITEZ is backing Ryan Babel to finally start paying back his hefty £11.5million fee.
And if you believe the boss is right you can get 28-1 with Paddy Power that he will finish as the club's official player of the season.
The 22-year-old Dutchman has showed in flashes that he has the skill and power to cope with the demands of the Premier League.
The question marks have been over his attitude and commitment.
But Rafa reckons the signs in pre-season have been encouraging - and Babel was on target in the 1-1 draw with the Thai national team this week.
If you're looking for slightly less of a gamble in this market, you can back Stevie G at 7-4, Torres at 5-2 or Carra at 7-1.
And what about Glen Johnson? Well it's 11-1 if you fancy the new boy to be Anfield's top man.
Pic: Nigel Wilson (flickr)

TAKE IT AS RED - MASCHER'S STAYING

2009-07-23T12:42:00.004+01:00

WHILE the Xabi Alonso sideshow continues, the talk of Javier Mascherano leaving Anfield has died down.
Rafa Benitez would be mad to let both halves of his first-choice midfield pairing of last season leave, so chances are the energetic Argie will still be wearing the red shirt when the new campaign kicks of at Tottenham.
SkyBet make Javier 8-15 to be at Liverpool next season with Barcelona 9-4, Real Madrid 5-1 and, of course, Manchester City 14-1.

SkyBet are offering a free £10 bet for new accounts: Sky Bet
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ALONSO 1-4 TO DO ONE

2009-07-23T01:40:00.004+01:00

IT doesn't look good if you've just bought a shirt with Alonso on the back. He's now just 1-4 to stay at Anfield on the Betfair betting exchange.

Strangely for a man from the Basque country, he seems Real Madrid mad at the moment and that's why you can back him to stay at 7-4.

Taking the betting hat off, his departure would be a huge blow to our chances of winning the league this season. It could well mean Steven Gerrard dropping back into midfield and, with no other viable option, Ryan Babel pushed through the middle up front. Stevie has to stay in the hole (and I don't mean that in a Walton nick sense) to make the most of Torres.

So we may be seeing a lot more of Lucas this year. Better have a few quid on the 50-1 about him being player of the season quick.

TORRES 4-1 TO BE TOP SCORER

2009-07-23T01:21:00.005+01:00

WITH the winker out of the way, surely only injury can stop Fernando Torres finishing as Premier League topscorer this season. With some bookies only going 9-4, visit Ladbrokes, Corals or Betfred who have stuck their neck out and chalked up 4-1.

I would have the bet with Fred as he's Manyoo's number one fan so taking his money in May will be all the sweeter.

The saver has to be on Nicolas Anelka, who is a big price at 12-1 with Paddy Power. He is the second best natural finisher in the league and did well last season.

Looking for dangers, at the best prices:

Didier Drogba (10-1 Ladbrokes) - has had too many injuries lately to be a serious bet.

Nicolas Anelka (12-1 Paddy Power) - looks the main danger as Ancelotti is likely to play him in the middle more than Hiddink did.

Wayne Rooney (12-1 Ladbrokes) - you can't do it anyway but it's asking a lot for him to suddenly treble his league goals tally - and he's likely to be banned for plenty of games too.

Steven Gerrard (20-1 Bet365) - will get plenty but, rightly or wrongly, he may be played deeper this season if Alonso packs his bags.

Michael Owen (20-1 Chandler) - not funny seeing him in that shirt but he's surely too injury-prone.

Can't have the following even at big prices: Tevez (25s) - runs around a lot but hardly ever scores, Van Persie (20s) - too injury-pr0ne, Robinho (20s) - will have 15 other strikers in his own team to compete with, same goes for Adebayor (20s).

Best each-way shot: Andrey Arshavin (33-1 Ladbrokes) - he's quite handy as we saw last season and will have many more opportunities with the Gooners looking a bit short up front. It's a quarter the odds for four places, so the advice is:

Main bet: Torres at 4-1 generally (not Billy Hill)

Saver: Anelka at 12-1 with Paddy Power

Each-way poke: Arshavin at 33-1 with Ladbrokes

Pic: Mat Jam (flickr)

REDS FIVE TIMES BETTER THAN BLUES - OFFICIAL

2009-07-23T01:13:00.006+01:00

WHY not start the new season by letting the bookie chaps crank up the chip on the average bluenose's shoulder?

Sky Bet have priced up the derby double next season like this:

Liverpool to do the double over Everton: 5-2

Everton to do the double over Liverpool: 12-1

So it's official, Liverpool are five times better than Everton. The bookies say so.

SHREK...TRAFFORD...WHAT WILL WAYNE CALL HIS KID?

2009-07-23T00:15:00.000+01:00

WAYNE ROONEY and missus Colleen are to appear in a TV documentary about their lives.

The Sky One show will focus on the Scouse striker’s time at Manchester United and the birth of their first child, due in October.

Betting is hotting up with Paddy Power as punters try to guess what the celebrity couple will call their baby.

Kelly (3-1) and Lucas (8-1) are currently the favourites, although after Wayne’s revelation last season that he hates Liverpool we guess the boy’s name is not after Anfield’s young Brazilian.

The couple could of course name the baby after themselves and Wayne and Colleen are healthy-looking 16-1 shots.

We’re not too sure about some of the outsiders though. Croxteth, after the district of Liverpool the couple grew up in, is 100-1, Goodison (Once a Blue always a Blue, eh Wayne?) is 150-1 and Puff (?!) is 250-1.

And if you really want to throw your cash away, how about Shrek at 500-1?!

FRENCH FLYER FRANCK GROUNDED IN GERMANY

2009-07-23T00:08:00.000+01:00

GOOD sense has returned to the betting market for in-demand Bayern Munich flyer Franck Ribery.

The France winger – who has been linked to just about every top European club this summer – was the subject of a flurry of bets on him joining Liverpool, forcing Sky Bet to slash his odds to 8-13.

But any Liverpool fan will tell you with a valuation of £69million on his head, scar face was never bound for Merseyside.

The player himself has put it out there that he wants to join the ever-growing band of megastars at Real Madrid but Bayern’s asking price is too rich even for the deep-pocketed Whites.

The smart money is now on him staying put in Germany and both Sky Bet and Paddy Power go 10/11 that he is still at Bayern Munich when the transfer window closes.

Liverpool are now out to 5-1 with Madrid 12-5 with Paddy Power. Barcelona are 6-1 and Manchester United 25-1.

WELCOME TO LFC BET

2009-07-22T23:00:00.002+01:00

Pic: Feltonf (Flickr)

WELCOME to LFC Bet - a new site all about betting on the Reds.

LFC Bet is updated regularly with the latest news and views about having a flutter on Liverpool FC.

And it's the only place to get the inside knowledge from our seasoned punter and sports betting expert - LFC Tipster.

We hope you like the site and we welcome your comments. Either post direct to the site or email us by clicking the contact link at the top of the page.

Happy bettting. YNWA.