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Arsenal offer little incentive

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Arsenal should have the edge when they host Udinese in the first game of a two-legged Champions League qualifier on Tuesday but at a match price of 1/2 it is advised to keep your powder dry.

The Italians could prove slippery customers after raising eyebrows when finishing fourth in Serie A last season but only speculative punters would surely be tempted by the 6/1 about Zebrette given that they are not yet involved in domestic action.

The clue here is that nothing is likely to be decided in north London and the 3/1 about the draw comes into play for two teams stepping into the unknown.

The Gunners imploded late last season in the Premier League so now have the unwanted distraction of facing Italian opposition – a surprise when you consider they have featured in every group stage of Europe’s elite club competition since 1998/99 and can boast an unbeaten run of 10 European home games since a 3-1 loss to Manchester United in the 2009 semi-finals.

They lacked teeth going forward in a tempestuous Premier League opener at Newcastle on Saturday and have also been hit by Cesc Fabregas’ transfer to Barcelona and more conjecture over the future of Samir Nasri.

The fans’ reaction to another relatively quiet window of transfer activity would also suggest manager Arsene Wenger’s previously untouchable status is in the balance.

Udinese’s only previous group stage campaign came in 2005/06 and they too are difficult to pin down because they are in pre-season mode.

A 12-1 friendly win over Serie D whipping-boys SP Tamai is hardly ideal preparation for a European qualifier but an indication they can at least find the net without Chilean superstar Alexis Sanchez, a summer capture for Spanish champions Barca.

Midfielder Gokhan Inler has also swapped Udinese for domestic rivals Napoli so it is unclear how the rest of the squad will react in a competitive fixture.

With this in mind, a low goals projection is a logical recommendation – or, better yet, a watching brief ahead of the second leg at Stadio Communale Friuli.

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City eye winning start

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A trip to title hopefuls Manchester City (7/2 Premier League outright) is almost the toughest opening possible for top-flight new boys Swansea City.

Brendan Rodgers’ men have been tipped by many to head straight back down to the Championship (8/15 to be relegated) after reaching the Premier League promised land via the play-offs last term.

Rodgers has moulded his side into a confident passing outfit and has vowed not to change his ways, having largely stuck with the players who helped the Swans win promotion.

The most notable new face is £3.5million record signing Danny Graham (9/1 match goalscorer), with the striker having netted 27 goals for Watford last season to earn a crack at the Premier League.

Leroy Lita also adds to the attacking options available to Rodgers, who last season placed his faith in the twin threats of Scott Sinclair and Nathan Dyer on the flanks.

Rodgers may be more concerned by having to make a change in goal following Dorus De Vries’ departure for Wolves, with Dutchman Michel Vorm and Portuguese Jose Moreira competing for a starting role.

His worries will be heightened by the knowledge that the Swans conceded 31 goals on their travels in the Championship last season, while at home they let in a mere 11.

However, Rodgers is ready for the tough task of avoiding the drop, saying: “We understand the scale of the task, not only on Monday, but throughout the season.

“We know it will be a roller-coaster ride but I’m excited about the challenge.”

Hosts City have high expectations after winning the FA Cup last term and head coach Roberto Mancini will be under pressure to mount a title challenge this time around.

Mancini has again been busy in the summer transfer market, with former Arsenal left-back Gael Clichy and Stefan Savic strengthening their defence.

The big-name signing has been Argentina frontman Sergio Aguero (7/2 match goalscorer), a £38million recruit from Atletico Madrid, who is seen as a direct replacement for compatriot Carlos Tevez, who is expected to depart before the transfer window shuts at the end of the month.

However, Mancini is wary of expecting an easy win to start their Premier League campaign, with both Aguero and Tevez short of full fitness.

“I think that the first ten games are very difficult – the squad is not 100 per cent ready,” Mancini warned. “It needs four or five games to find good form for the players.”

Mancini’s caution is understandable after his side capitulated in the second half of the Community Shield to lose 3-2 to Manchester United, but City cannot afford to make a slow start in the league and lose touch with the likes of United and Chelsea.

Anything less than three points on Monday evening will be seen as a setback at the earliest stage of the battle for Premier League supremacy.

However, a victory should be on the cards if the hosts perform as they did in the opening 45 minutes against United, when they took a two-goal lead against the reigning champions and the favourites for glory again in 2011/12.

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Mancini’s men aim for winning start

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A trip to title hopefuls Manchester City (7/2 Premier League outright) is almost the toughest opening possible for top-flight new boys Swansea City.

Brendan Rodgers’ men have been tipped by many to head straight back down to the Championship (8/15 to be relegated) after reaching the Premier League promised land via the play-offs last term.

Rodgers has moulded his side into a confident passing outfit and has vowed not to change his ways, having largely stuck with the players who helped the Swans win promotion.

The most notable new face is £3.5million record signing Danny Graham (9/1 match goalscorer), with the striker having netted 27 goals for Watford last season to earn a crack at the Premier League.

Leroy Lita also adds to the attacking options available to Rodgers, who last season placed his faith in the twin threats of Scott Sinclair and Nathan Dyer on the flanks.

Rodgers may be more concerned by having to make a change in goal following Dorus De Vries’ departure for Wolves, with Dutchman Michel Vorm and Portuguese Jose Moreira competing for a starting role.

His worries will be heightened by the knowledge that the Swans conceded 31 goals on their travels in the Championship last season, while at home they let in a mere 11.

However, Rodgers is ready for the tough task of avoiding the drop, saying: “We understand the scale of the task, not only on Monday, but throughout the season.

“We know it will be a roller-coaster ride but I’m excited about the challenge.”

Hosts City have high expectations after winning the FA Cup last term and head coach Roberto Mancini will be under pressure to mount a title challenge this time around.

Mancini has again been busy in the summer transfer market, with former Arsenal left-back Gael Clichy and Stefan Savic strengthening their defence.

The big-name signing has been Argentina frontman Sergio Aguero (7/2 match goalscorer), a £38million recruit from Atletico Madrid, who is seen as a direct replacement for compatriot Carlos Tevez, who is expected to depart before the transfer window shuts at the end of the month.

However, Mancini is wary of expecting an easy win to start their Premier League campaign, with both Aguero and Tevez short of full fitness.

“I think that the first ten games are very difficult – the squad is not 100 per cent ready,” Mancini warned. “It needs four or five games to find good form for the players.”

Mancini’s caution is understandable after his side capitulated in the second half of the Community Shield to lose 3-2 to Manchester United, but City cannot afford to make a slow start in the league and lose touch with the likes of United and Chelsea.

Anything less than three points on Monday evening will be seen as a setback at the earliest stage of the battle for Premier League supremacy.

However, a victory should be on the cards if the hosts perform as they did in the opening 45 minutes against United, when they took a two-goal lead against the reigning champions and the favourites for glory again in 2011/12.

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What now for Arsenal?

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It has been six years without a trophy, they imminently face losing two of their main stars – including their captain – and now they must qualify for the Champions League. These are troubled times at Arsenal and the coming weeks could be the most important of Arsene Wenger’s time in north London.

There has been a host of superlatives aimed at Arsenal’s style of play in recent seasons but such beauty on the pitch has not been turned into success and trophies. It is a long-running joke about Arsenal’s lack of silverware in recent seasons and the natives at the Emirates are starting to get restless about it.

Wenger looks destined to lose his two most creative midfielders within the coming days, with skipper Cesc Fabregas finally sealing his long-awaited return to Barcelona (2/1 Champions League Outright) and Samir Nasri looking like heading to Manchester City (14/1). Indeed, Arsenal have turned into somewhat of a feeder club for the moneybags side, with Kolo Toure, Emmanuel Adebayor and most recently Gael Clichy swapping red for sky blue.

Last season the Gunners slipped behind City in the Premier League and are being forced to qualify for the Champions League as a result. Only days into the new season and Arsenal have a crucial clash with Udinese on Tuesday night, with the return leg in Italy a week later (Arsenal 2/7, Udinese 5/2 to qualify). If Wenger’s side fail to make it into the group stages the pressure on the manager’s shoulders will continue to increase. Arsenal are certainly not going to be aided by the fact Robin van Persie and Nasri are both banned for Tuesday’s qualifier.

A lot of eyes are going to be on what Wenger does with his new-found wealth before the transfer window closes. With over £50million to come in from the sale of Fabregas and Nasri, every armchair fan and football pundit will have their ideas of what the French boss should do. Wenger has stuck to his plan of signing young talent with potential over the years but fans are getting a bit sick of this, they want success now rather than players who could be good in five years time.

On multiple occasions over the years the defence at the Emirates has been shown up as an area for concern, while there are still question marks over the goalkeeping situation. Take out Fabregas and Nasri and Arsenal are going to be woefully short in the midfield department. With Nicolas Bendtner also likely to leave the club, they also need strikers. Indeed, the Gunners could ideally do with up to half a dozen new additions if they want to challenge in the Premier League and the Champions League (Arsenal 20/1 to win Outright).

Not long ago Wenger appeared untouchable at Arsenal but things do change in football and fans are getting more frustrated at the club’s spending policy. The trio of Gervinho, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Carl Jenkinson have failed to really win over the fans as they want proven top-quality signings brought in to ensure Arsenal do not slip behind in the title race. An English-type centre-half would be welcomed, along with a defensive midfielder in the style of Claude Makelele or Xabi Alonso – a player Wenger famously passed up on.

The last few weeks before the transfer window closes will be frantic times at the Emirates and, while it may seem crazy that Wenger, the man who has won more trophies than any other Arsenal manager, is under such scrutiny, it is worrying times for Arsenal fans and things need to change soon to ensure they do not fall even further behind the likes of Manchester United, Chelsea and City.

See totesport.com for all Premier League betting markets.

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Away days for top two

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Both Chelsea and Manchester United open their 2011/12 Premier League campaigns with tough looking away ties.

Stoke v Chelsea (13:30 kick-off)
They may only have returned to England’s top flight in 2009 but Stoke City have already developed a reputation for being one of the division’s toughest grounds to visit.

Their all-action, combative style and vociferous vocal support means it will be testing start for new Chelsea boss Andre Villas-Boas (Stoke 9/2 draw 14/5 Chelsea 4/6 Match betting).

The Portuguese boss knows he is under pressure from the off, with owner Roman Abramovich eager for the club to add to their trophy haul.

Villas-Boas’ predecessor Carlo Ancelotti was sacked after failing to win a trophy in his second season at Stamford Bridge, despite winning the double in his first year, so the 33-year knows his side almost certainly need to win some silverware if he is to keep his job (Chelsea 3/1 to win the Premier League outright).

The former Porto boss has been reasonably quiet in the transfer window, bringing in youngsters Thibaud Courtois and Oriol Romeu so far.

However, highly-rated Anderlecht striker Romelu Lukaku is close to agreeing a £18million deal to boost a forward line Villas-Boas admits is already strong.

One of his strikers – £50million man Fernando Torres – will be hoping he can kick-start his Chelsea career after scoring just once in his first six months at the club (Torres 4/1 to net first).

The Spaniard suffered concussion in his country’s friendly with Italy in midweek but should be fit to take his place in the starting XI.

City manager Tony Pulis has also been reasonably quiet in the transfer window so far. But his two buys to date – Jonathan Woodgate and Matthew Upson – look like being shrewd purchases.

Expect the Potters to close Chelsea down at every opportunity when without the ball and when in possession, spread the ball wide to Jermaine Pennant and Matthew Etherington early. The wingers both possess excellent deliveries for Kenwyne Jones and Jonathan Walters to feed off (Jones 8/1 to score first). It nearly goes without saying that the Potters are also extremely strong at set-pieces.

Thanks to their FA Cup exploits last season the club began their campaign early with a Europa League qualifying tie against Hadjuk Split.

With that tie safely negotiated they can go into this game full of confidence and with the hope their extra match sharpness will make the difference (Stoke 9/1 to win 1-0).

Prediction: Stoke 1 Chelsea 1

West Brom v Man United (kick 0ff 16:00)
Manchester United laid down a marker for the upcoming campaign with a roaring comeback against Manchester City in the Community Shield last weekend.

Despite losing Gary Neville, Edwin Van Der Sar and Paul Scholes to retirement, Red Devils boss Sir Alex Ferguson has refreshed his squad with a new generation of young players, including new-boys David De Gea, Phil Jones and Ashley Young (Man United 13/8 favourites Premier League outright).

Portuguese star Nani grabbed two goals at Wembley last week and he looks to be one of United’s most dangerous attacking threats this season (Nani 6/1 to score first), while the signing of Young now gives United a direct threat on either wing.

However, one thing Ferguson will be keen to address this campaign is their away record. United won just five away games in 2010/11, the same number as relegated Blackpool.

They will be severely tested on the road straight away though as they travel to the Hawthorns to play a West Brom side rejuvenated under Roy Hodgson.

The Baggies lost just twice in 12 games under the 64-year-old, who replaced Roberto Di Matteo in January, en route to a respectable 11th place finish, halting their recent tendency to yo-yo between the top two divisions in English football.

The Midlanders have boosted their squad this summer with the signings of Ben Foster from Birmingham, Shane Long from Reading and Zoltan Gera from Fulham.

Long in particular adds a goal threat to the side and he should form a prolific partnership with Peter Odemwingie, who hit 15 goals for the club last season (Long 8/1 to score first).

Prediction West Brom 1 Man United 2

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Championship preview – Sunday

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There are two matches in the Championship on Sunday with Blackpool hosting Peterborough and Bristol City travelling to Cardiff. Three of the four sides won their opening game and so we will take a look at what might happen this weekend.

Blackpool v Peterborough

Blackpool boss Ian Holloway has cut a disconsolate figure since failing to keep the club in the Premier League and his pre-season comments about lacking motivation will have hardly inspired the Bloomfield Road faithful.

But a 1-0 win at Hull on the opening day of the season will certainly have cheered him up a little and he will welcome Posh to the north west looking to make it six points out of six.

The midweek Carling Cup penalty shoot-out defeat to Sheffield Wednesday will have already been forgotten as the main task this term is to get back to the Premier League.

Holloway has lost a number of his stars over the summer but should have Matt Phillips and Matt Gilks back for the clash, while most of the side that missed the midweek reverse will come back into the starting XI.

Phillips has been on England duty at the Under-20s World Cup in Colombia but may well net a starting berth, while namesake Kevin Phillips looks set to start up front, but Ashley Eastham is out following his straight red card at Hillsborough.

Darren Ferguson’s men kicked off their campaign with a 2-1 success over Crystal Palace and were then involved in a seven-goal Carling Cup thriller with Stevenage.

But the son of Sir Alex would doubtless swap that midweek win for three points against the Tangerines and he will have Grant McCann back in the squad, who has now returned from international duty with Northern Ireland.

New loan signing Josh Thompson has now received international clearance and may well feature after making the move form Celtic.

Both sides are ambitious and a draw seems the likely result here.

Odds: Blackpool 5/6, Peterborough 3/1, draw 11/4

Cardiff v Bristol City

The new Cardiff era got underway in decent fashion with a 1-0 victory over West Ham United and they were also victorious in a midweek Carling Cup clash with Oxford United.

New boss Malky Mackay will welcome a Bristol City side that lost 3-0 at home to Ipswich in their first match and sit at the foot of the table.

The Scot will be looking to double his points tally and welcomes back eight players from international duty, while Stephen McPhail is available after recovering from a virus.

City’s Carling Cup tie with Swindon was postponed due to the riots and they should have Marvin Elliott and Liam Fontaine back for Sunday’s encounter in Wales as they look for their first points of the season, while Kalifa Cisse, Albert Adomah and Neil Kilkenny all return from international duty.

Cardiff narrowly missed out on promotion once again last term but, with a new manager and a few new faces, it appears as though they are ready for another tilt at reaching the big time and they are tipped to take all three points from this one.

Odds: Cardiff 4/6, Bristol City 4/1, draw 11/4

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Five strikers to watch

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With the Premier League season kicking off this weekend, there is sure to be a host of goals during the 2011/12 season, but who will be the player to find the back of the net the most?

Javier Hernandez – Manchester United

The diminutive Mexico international must be on every Premier League defender’s mind heading into the new season.

Hernandez was arguably the signing of the season in the last campaign and it didn’t take him long to find his feet in the Premier League.

Hernandez bagged 13 goals in 15 appearances for the Red Devils last season, and that might explain why he is valued at 17/2 to be the top goalscorer this season.

If Hernandez stays injury-free for the campaign then it will take a pretty impressive player to beat out-score him. Maybe team-mate Wayne Rooney could be the man at 8/1 and the current favourite?

Fernando Torres – Chelsea

The out-of-sorts £50million striker looks set to miss Chelsea’s opening game of the season due to an injury he picked up on international duty for Spain on Wednesday night.

With only one goal in 18 competitive matches for the Blues, you could think that at 9/1 the value on the Spaniard is pretty poor.

However, if Torres can get back to anywhere near the form he enjoyed at Liverpool before his incomprehensible dip in form at the 2010 World Cup,  he may be unstoppable.

Could the arrival of new boss Andre Villas-Boas at Stamford Bridge reinvigorate El Nino?

Edin Dzeko – Manchester City

Manchester City certainly have forwards in abundance at Eastlands, and Roberto Mancini will be hoping that wantaway skipper Carlos Tevez remains to score the goals we all know he is capable of getting.

But with Tevez so unsettled and the 20-year-old Mario Balotelli still struggling to control his temperament, the £27million Bosnian Dzeko may have to step up to the plate.

Despite struggling since his move back in January, Dzeko has now had half a season to adapt to the pace of the Premier League.

With the blue half of Manchester certain to mount a serious title bid this season, why not have a punt at 20/1?

Adel Taarabt – QPR

Not technically a striker, the mercurial Moroccan star caused such waves with his stunning performance in the Championship last season, scoring 19 goals for Rangers as they won promotion back to the Premier League.

Neil Warnock will certainly be relying on Taraabt to supply the goals at Loftus Road which will help consolidate their position in the top flight.

At 80/1, Taraabt looks like a great player to back to outscore any other player this season.

We know he has the raw talent but the big question will be whether or not he can do it in the Premier League?

Asamoah Gyan – Sunderland

With Darren Bent’s £26million departure to Aston Villa midway through last season, Sunderland fans could have been forgiven for being upset by losing their guaranteed scorer.

However, there is a new kid on the block and Ghana international Gyan was superb in his first season as a Premier League striker.

Despite fears that he would be slow to adapt, the player managed to net an impressive 10 goals in 20 league appearances.

With Danny Welbeck back at Manchester United, Gyan will lead the line this season for the Black Cats.

At 40/1 Gyan is possibly the best value for a player that knows exactly where the back of the net is.

The big question is: will his team-mates be able to give him the service to improve on his tally for his second season in the Premier League?

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Celts face tough opposition

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England’s friendly with the Netherlands on Wednesday may have been called off but Wales, Scotland and the Republic of Ireland are all in action – and all three face some difficult opponents.

The Premier League clubs may be angered by an international fixture list so close to the start of the season but for the fans, and of course punters, it will surely whet the appetite for the new campaign.

Wales face Australia at the Cardiff City Stadium in what should prove a huge test for Gary Speed’s side.  The Socceroos are 23rd in the Fifa world rankings table, while Wales are 112th in the table but it should be a tighter affair than the rankings system suggests.

Former Sheffield United boss Speed will be able to call on Spurs wideman Gareth Bale for the first time since taking charge of the national side.

The Spurs schemer has missed the first four games of Speed’s tenure through injury but is now fully fit and is expected to be included in the starting line-up.

Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey will captain the side, while Craig Bellamy should also be included in the starting XI and Australia coach Holger Osieck admits he expects a tough test in Cardiff.

“I rate Wales pretty highly,” explained Osieck.

“Knowing some of the individual quality. If you look at Aaron Ramsey, Gareth Bale, Craig Bellamy, Robert Earnshaw, they are top-class players and the rest are not bad either.

“We are facing a very strong team.”

Wales are 2/1 to beat Australia, who have Premier League stars Mark Schwarzer and Tim Cahill in their ranks, the visitors are the 11/8 favourites and the draw is priced at 9/4.

Scotland face Denmark at Hampden Park and boss Craig Levein has been left without regulars Darren Fletcher, James McFadden and Craig Gordon.

However, Liverpool new boy Charlie Adam and Blackburn summer recruit David Goodwillie have been included in the squad and will be keen to cause Denmark problems in Glasgow.

Scotland are 9/4 to take all three points, the draw is 9/5 and Denmark are the 6/4 favourites to seal an away victory.

Adam is the most likely candidate to take the Scots’ set-pieces and the mercurial midfielder does have a knack of hitting the target in dead-ball situations, as he did on the final day of the season for Blackpool under extreme pressure at Old Trafford.

Adam is 9/1 to open the scoring at Hampden and 5/2 to score at any time.

Giovanni Trapattoni’s Republic of Ireland host Croatia at the Aviva Stadium and the Italian tactician has seen his side heavily hit by injuries.

Jon Walters, Marc Wilson, James McCarthy, Seamus Coleman and Kevin Doyle have all been ruled out through injury, but West Brom new boy Shane Long is fit and will replace Doyle in the starting line up.

Croatia are 6/4 to win the fixture, while the hosts are 7/4 and the draw is priced at 23/10.

Wales and Scotland have both been drawn in qualifying Group A ahead of the 2014 World Cup and the duo will be treating their respective matches on Wednesday as warm-up fixtures ahead of the qualifying campaign.

Speed and Levein will also be keeping an eye on events in Dublin as Croatia are the top seed in Group A, while Serbia, Belgium and Macedonia complete the group.

Wales are priced at 66/1 to emerge top of the pile in Group A, Scotland are 14/1 and Belgium are the 15/8 favourites to secure top spot and book a place in the World Cup 2014 in Brazil.

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Owls eye Seasiders shock

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There have been plenty of upsets in the first round of the Carling Cup so far and Thursday throws up the opportunity for one more, as League One outfit Sheffield Wednesday host Championship side Blackpool at Hillsborough (Sheff Wed 8/5, draw 12/5, Blackpool 13/8).

With Derby County losing out to Shrewsbury, Barnet beating Portsmouth and Coventry going down at Bury to name but a few, there are a number of Championship clubs who have suffered a cup shock.

The Owls will be hoping they can be the next side to cause an upset in this upcoming Yorkshire-Lancashire derby.

Wednesday got their League One campaign off to a decent start with a 2-0 victory over a side from the other side of the Pennines in the form of Rochdale at Hillsborough on Saturday.

Manager Gary Megson will be pleased with his side’s start to the league campaign and will be looking for a similar performance against the Tangerines.

Megson’s men will be aided by their latest signing Chris O’Grady who has joined from Rochdale with enough time to be eligible for the Carling Cup tie.

The likes of Daniel Jones, James O’Connor and Jon Otsemobor are all set to feature against Blackpool, as the Owls boss hopes to look at different options at this early stage of the season.

As for the Seasiders, they too made a great start to their league campaign with a strong away victory against Hull City at the KC Stadium on Friday in the season curtain-raiser.

Tangerines boss Ian Holloway was delighted to get his side’s season off to a winning start thanks to a superb goal from striker Gary Taylor-Fletcher (8/1 First Goalscorer).

Blackpool have been guilty of conceding goals in the League Cup, as they have conceded nine goals in their last three games in the competition.

What will also give Wednesday hope will be the fact their opponents have been knocked out four times in their last eight appearances in the first round of the tournament.

The big question will be whether Holloway decides to make wholesale changes from the side that won in East Yorkshire last week.

With the likes of Kevin Phillips (6/1 First Goalscorer) up front alongside Taylor-Fletcher and Barry Ferguson bossing play in the middle, Blackpool’s strongest XI would be clear favourites to beat the Owls.

However, Holloway is likely to make some changes to the side, which will give Wednesday hope of causing an upset.

With Megson’s side looking strong on the first day of the season they may well cause another upset against a Blackpool side who have been guilty of some poor performances in this competition.

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The Final Countdown

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The new Premier League season is just a matter of days away and that means it’s time to finalise your Fantasy Football team in order to take the competition to the cleaners (Manchester United – 13/8f – Premier League Outright 2011/12).

Picking your XI is not exactly a science, but it’s not far off the mark to suggest it’s probably one of your most important tasks this week in order to hit the ground running and set the early pace.

So who should you go with?  Allow us to suggest five star men who we feel will not let you down from the word go.

Safe Pair of Hands

Whatever people say, football is all about goals – scoring them and keeping them out. All that fancy-Dan stuff has secured Arsenal absolutely nothing for over half a decade in the Premier League.

Barcelona may well have swept all before them but that’s in La Liga which is a two-horse race and underlined by the fact third favourites this term, Valencia, are available at 50/1. So you’re going to need a safe pair of hands.

We’d love to go with Liverpool stopper Pepe Reina, however counting against him is a defence which is far from convincing so it’s got to be fellow Spaniard David De Gea at Manchester United.

Fair enough he conceded two against Manchester City in the Community Shield and doesn’t appear to understand too much English at this point, but rest assured United have the best defenders in the Premier League to protect him.

Fergie will also have him working flat-out on the lingo when he’s not rolling around in the mud on the training paddock.

Defensive Rock

While keeping goals out is the name of the game for keepers, defenders who weigh in with the odd strike or two are worth their weight in gold.

We can’t think of too many defenders who take set-pieces these days like Roberto Carlos, so it’s all about the men who get on the end of free-kicks and corners.

Step forward Tottenham’s William Gallas ,who may have drawn a blank last season, but who can get amongst it this term as 11/4 shots Spurs chase a return to the top four.

Midfield Dynamos

There are two men we’re looking for in the middle of the park – the kind of guys who drive you on from box to box where the game is won and lost.

For us, Spurs ace Gareth Bale is a no-brainer although he has a lot to live up to if he is going to repeat last season’s heroics.

But hopefully he will do and also provide the ammunition for Gallas to maraud forward for dead-ball situations.

We’re also going to go with Manchester United’s Nani who has stepped out of the shadows and is long overdue a big season for a Red Devils side which is arguably much stronger than last year’s vintage.

Hot Shot

Your main man up front is your talisman, the player who can get away with 89 minutes of dross if he comes up with a winner out of nothing.

Of course, he’s going to need decent service – see the inclusions of Bale and Nani – and we think someone like Liverpool’s Luis Suarez fits the bill.

However, he may not be quite ready for the big kick off after winning the Copa America earlier in the summer, so we need to look elsewhere.

Carlos Tevez, Fernando Torres and Dimitar Berbatov all have pedigree and are  – or were – worth well over £100m between them, however for differing reasons we have some reservations.

So the man we’ll take is Aston Villa’s Darren Bent, who has more than proven himself over the years and is guaranteed to start for Alex McLeish’s men.

Bent can be backed at 12/1 to finish the 2011/12 season as top scorer.

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