Right Said Fred: Fantastic Foden shines once again

Man of the moment Phil Foden is 7/1 to score the opener for City at Anfield on Sunday in a game being billed in some quarters as something of a Premier League  title decider - and certainly the match of the season.

Pep Guardiola's comeback kings sparked by a Foden brace  in the Manchester derby are 5/4 favourites for all three points against injury hit Liverpool.

Guardiola, who believes Foden is the best player in the league actually spoke of Stockport born Foden in the same breath as Messi this week.

He's now surely undroppable for City - and in this brilliant form, both scoring and creating against United,  represents a huge boost for Gareth Southgate's Euro hopes for England in the summer.

Betfred punters are envisaging plenty of goals on Sunday with home fans piling on Liverpool  to win 3-1 at 18/1 but many City supporters are backing the Blues to triumph 4/1 at 33/1.

A red card is priced at 4/1 while an Erling Haaland hat-trick is available at 20/1.

Arsenal, who could go top by beating Brentford 24 hours before the Anfield showdown, put lowly Sheffield United to the sword on Monday to stay right slap bang in the middle of a fascinating three-way battle for the title.

Ahead of the weekend games, Betfred still have City as 5/6 favourites to retain the title with Liverpool at 2/1 - and goal crazy Arsenal at 7/2.

As for a top four finish we have United drifting out to 14/1 with Aston Villa at 4/6 and Spurs evens.

Turning to Betfred Super League and the Wire will be looking to maintain their promising start to the campaign at Hull KR. The home side are favourites for the points but Betfred have Warrington at 6/4 to triumph.

Matty Ashton is a tempting 9/1 shot to score the first try to make it four already for the season.

Meanwhile here's RL legend Paul Sculthorpe's take on the third round of Betfred Super League games. The Oldham-born former double Man of Steel winner, who is a Betfred TV pundit, writes:

"It was another win for St Helens at the Totally Wicked Stadium on Friday as the Leigh Leopards came to town. It wasn’t a classic, but the Saints remain at the summit of the Betfred Super League.

"However, and I totally agree with him. Paul Wellens was far from impressed with Saints' performance. For me it looked like a team that knew they were always going to win, and didn’t need to be clinical and disciplined with the ball to achieve that. Wello commented after the game that the team never got going and were far too scrappy.

"Saints certainly owed the Leopards one after that major disappointment in the Betfred Challenge Cup semi final last season.

"Saints full back Jack Welsby continued with his ‘try a game’ run as he opened the scoring following great work by both James Bell and the impressive Matt Whitley.

"It took 30 minutes for the first points to be posted and it stayed that way into the break, before some poor Saints defence allowed Zak Hardacre to level the scores on 50 minutes. The third and final try of the game by Tommy Makinson secured the 12-4 win for the home side.

"There was very little to talk about in the game quality wise, but there was again a few talking points in regards to tackle techniques As in 2023 the Leopards captain John Asiata continues to produce this horrendous tackle technique, that as Iggy Paasi unfortunately found out can seriously damage careers. How he’s not done significant  damage to himself I’ll never know because it’s an awful style.

"As per new guidelines on this kind of tackle, Asiata found himself in the sinbin within 40 seconds of kick off for a knee chop on Saints back rower Sione Matautia. Thankfully he wasn’t injured, however ironically it was Asiata who hobbled of the field with a leg injury on the 15th minute.

"Saints No1 Welsby is 9/1clear favourite to win the coveted Steve Prescott MBE Man of Steel Award  with Warrington’s England captain George Williams out to 12/1 -  and based on the opening three rounds who could disagree? Jack’s presence in the Betfred Super League, rather than accepting a tempting offer Down Under certainly does enlighten our competition.

"Next up for the Saints are Paul Rowley’s Salford Red Devils, who certainly won’t be a push over. The Red Devils are  in sixth place having won two from three of their opening game, most recently beating the in form Hull KR.

"I’m sure Paul Wellens will have had a lot to say in training this week, and I think we’ll see a much improved St Helens display on Friday night. 

"Finally, and unsurprisingly it’s great to see the demand for the upcoming Easter battle between arch rivals Saints and Wigan. The game has already been announced as a complete sell-out, as the two favourites for Betfred Super League glory go into battle.

"Current champions Wigan are 6/4 favourites with Betfred to be 2024 champions with  the Saints at 9/4. 

Warrington, Catalans and Leeds are all at 9/1 with Betfred, with Friday's Salford the big movers having been cut to 66/1 after their better than expected start to the season."

With the focus this side of the pond on the budget and the general election later this year, it's also all coming to a head political wise in America.

Super Tuesday - a pivotal moment as the two major parties select their presidential candidates - has come down on the side of the two favourites Democrat President Joe Biden and Donald Trump for the Republicans.

And after they swept the floor at the primaries Betfred have Trump as 10/11 favourite in the November  re-run for the keys to the White House with Biden 2/1.

Trump was made 1/100 with us for the Republican nomination after his biggest rival former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley pulled out.