If everything does go ahead, there are five matches in the SPL on Saturday and Celtic can go top of the league if they beat Inverness Caledonian Thistle at Celtic Park. Terry Butcher’s side are the surprise package of the SPL so far this season and go into this daunting trip having won their last three games.

Celtic fell three points behind Rangers after they conceded an injury-time equaliser last weekend against Dundee United, and Neil Lennon cannot underestimate the challenge posed by an Inverness side, who have somehow not lost on their travels in almost a year.

With the knowledge they can put the pressure on their rivals and bounce back from last weekend’s disappointment, Celtic are priced at 2/9 to win and look likely to end Caley’s impressive away record.

It is a case of two teams looking to kick-start their season as rock-bottom Hamilton welcome another struggling side in St Mirren to New Douglas Park.

Their home ground has not been a happy place for Hamilton this season, they have not won in six in front of their home fans, but will be buoyed by the fact St Mirren have only tasted success once on the road and have conceded 15 goals in six games.

The distinct lack of form shown by both teams going into this game suggests it is likely to be a cagey affair, but St Mirren just have the edge and have improved enough in recent weeks to get the win – which is priced at 23/10.

Hibs and St Johnstone are only separated by goal difference in the SPL table and a win for either side could create some valuable breathing space between them and the wrong end of the league. Colin Calderwood has recovered from a poor start to guide Hibs to some impressive wins, but that came to an end when they were beaten 4-2 by Inverness last weekend.

St Johnstone’s win over beleaguered Aberdeen ended a run of four losses in a row, but they are struggling for away form and Hibs (20/21 to win the game) will be too strong for them, even without the suspended duo of Derek Riordan and Paul Hanlon.

Kilmarnock were only narrowly defeated by Rangers last weekend and put on an impressive showing, and they welcome an Aberdeen side that have lost their last five matches. Killie’s loss to the leaders was their first defeat in five games and the form gives the advantage squarely to the home side, so Kilmarnock – 3/4 to win the Rugby Park clash – look like piling more misery of Mark McGhee.

Bet on the World Cup and get £200. Click here to visit Bet365 and claim your free money.

Salomon Kalou

So far this summer Roberto Mancini has spent over £70million on improving his squad, bringing in Yaya Toure, David Silva, Jerome Boateng and Aleksandar Kolarov.

City’s spending is only likely to increase in the weeks before the transfer window shuts with Inter Milan’s Mario Balotelli expected to complete his move to Eastlands before the summer is out.

Fernando Torres has also been linked with City as they look to capture their first Premier League title.

Since the Abu Dhabi United Group brought City in 2008 the club have spent hundreds of millions on new players without any success to show for their heavy investment.

Last season the club missed out on their overall goal of reaching the Champions League, instead being pipped at the last fence by Tottenham (3/1 to finish in the top four again).

This season Mancini has tipped his side to challenge for the top honour in the Premier League, indicating that this could be City’s breakthrough season.

However, several of City’s rivals have already dismissed their title challenge, claiming that you can’t buy the title.

The latest player to come out and do so is Kalou, who believes that money doesn’t always equal success.

He said: “Just because you bring in 10 new players every year doesn’t mean you are going to finish top of the table.

“City did the same thing last season and finished fifth and I am not sure if they’ll be any stronger this time.

“Spending a lot of money on new signings doesn’t guarantee anything. City have to remember there are still teams like Chelsea, (Manchester) United, Liverpool and Arsenal who will always be at the top.

“And this year we will all be up there fighting for the title again.”

While Kalou is adamant City (9/2 Premier League winners) won’t be able to buy the title it wasn’t so long ago that Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich ploughed large sums of cash into the Blues to help them win their first Premier League crown.

However, this year the Blues have cut back on their spending, so far only bringing in Yossi Benayoun from Liverpool to strengthen their first team.

Manager Carlo Ancelotti has backed his current squad to do the business again next season having seen them do the domestic double in the last campaign.

Bet on the World Cup and get £200. Click here to visit Bet365 and claim your free money.

Paul Scholes

Having halted United’s run of consecutive league wins last term, the Blues will start next season as the outright favourites to win the title, with totesport pricing them at 13/8.

While United pushed Chelsea all the way last season, taking the race to the last day, it was the west London side who ultimately controlled the destiny of the silverware for much of the campaign.

While last year eventually developed into a two horse race once again, this season promises to be a lot closer with the likes of Arsenal (4/6 top four finish), Manchester City (1/2), Tottenham (3/1) and Liverpool (7/4) all hopeful of being involved in the title picture.

Despite City having spent nearly £80million on new players already, with more set to arrive before the transfer window shuts, Scholes still believes it will be reigning champions Chelsea who will give United the biggest test.

“Who will our biggest rivals for the title be? You have got to say Chelsea. And the rest… you just do not know,” said Scholes, as he gets ready for Thursday’s pre-season friendly against MLS All-Stars.

“City? We will have to see what happens there. They have bought so many players. Whether they can gel together remains to be seen.”

Despite having lost their crown last season, United have so far failed to spend anywhere near the amount their city rivals have in the hope of claiming their 19th league title. Forward Javier Hernandez and defender Chris Smalling have been the only new arrivals at Old Trafford thus far.

Much like United, Chelsea have also failed to break the bank in a bid to strengthen their position as kings of England, with Yossi Benayoun their only big name arrival thus far.

While there is just over a month of the transfer window left, it seems unlikely either Chelsea or United will make more than one, if any, big money signings, instead relying on the stars of last season.

Scholes is confident that the crop of players, who pushed Chelsea so close last season, will be able to go one place further and get back to the top of the table.

“We have to be confident. Last year we didn’t win what we wanted to win, but, looking back, we definitely were not that far off,” added the former England international.

“You do not want to use excuses, but the injuries we had were shocking really. Hopefully most of us can stay fit this year and hopefully we can go one step further than last season.”

Before United begin the new season against Newcastle on August 16 they will contest the annual curtain raiser, the Community Shield, against Chelsea on August 8.

Bet on the World Cup and get £200. Click here to visit Bet365 and claim your free money.

Paraguay

The South Americans set up a last-eight meeting with the European champions after defeating Japan on penalties on Monday but will start the game as underdogs as tournament outsiders (Paraguay 50/1 to win World Cup outright).

Whereas their opponents, led by Spanish ace David Villa, have started to play with freedom, Paraguay have struggled to create clear goal-scoring opportunities and have scored only three goals in four games in South Africa.

Spanish midfielder Xavi claimed after their 1-0 win over Portugal that his country are now starting to hit form after a slow start to the finals.

But Martino is not concerned by the statistics and believes playing Spain will give his side extra space to express themselves.

“In three of the four World Cup matches we had to take the game to our opponents and that’s difficult for a team like ours,” said Martino.

“Our future rivals will let us play. Spain will give us more space.”

In a forgettable encounter in Pretoria, Paraguay squeezed past Japan 5-3 on penalties after the game had finished goalless after normal and extra time.

It is the first time in their history that Paraguay have reached the quarter-final stage of the World Cup and Martino reckons his side deserve their place in the draw, knowing that victory against Spain will take them through to a semi-final against either Argentina or Holland.

Martino said: “It’s never nice for a match to be decided in this way but I think we sought the win a little more.

“I think we were lucky in the penalty shoot-out. That made the difference.

“Perhaps it wasn’t the match people wanted to see but I don’t think either team has anything to reproach themselves for.

“When you look at how the players played, the solidarity they showed, their enthusiasm, their will to make the history books, both teams did it the same way.

“To speak of an achievement in getting to the quarter-finals is all right but to consider this my greatest achievement is, I think, a bit premature.”

Spain and Paraguay will line-up in the fourth and final quarter-final on Saturday night (Paraguay to win 13/2, Spain 1/2, draw 13/5).

Bet on the World Cup and get £200. Click here to visit Bet365 and claim your free money.