The Unai Emery era at Arsenal hasn’t exactly gone to plan, has it? The Gunners are lacking identity under the Spaniard’s leadership and most Arsenal fans believe that his tenure has been more of a failure than a success.

Since losing 4-1 to Chelsea in May’s Europa League final, the writing has been on the wall for Emery.

Arsenal crashed out of the League Cup to Liverpool’s reserve side less than a month ago and the Gunners are now languishing in sixth spot in the Premier League table.

With an eight-point gap to the top four, Emery’s side may be destined to miss out on Champions League football for the third season in a row.

With that being said, a shock Europa League success would secure a spot in Europe’s elite club competition. At the time of writing, Arsenal are priced at 6/1 to win the competition in 888sport’s European football betting odds.

At this moment in time, an Emery sacking is the likelier option – here are five candidates to replace him at the Emirates Stadium.

Jose Mourinho

A proven manager at the highest level in England and across Europe, Mourinho is probably the first name that springs to mind for Gunners fans.

Currently available at short notice, there would be no need for Arsenal to pay compensation for Mourinho’s services.

Would Mourinho be a hit in north London? That is certainly up for debate.

He tormented the Gunners time and time again during his two spells at Chelsea and his appointment would certainly divide Arsenal supporters. Still, he’s got to be better than Emery… right?

Eddie Howe

Arsenal could take a punt on the Bournemouth boss but there are major question marks over his ability to lead one of England’s biggest clubs.

Howe has received great praise for his work at Bournemouth but Arsenal are on another level and his resume falls short.

However, you can't build a reputation unless you are given an opportunity and Howe’s style of play will appeal to Gunners fans.

He has moulded Bournemouth into a solid Premier League team and could potentially work wonders with better quality players.

Massimiliano Allegri

Allegri was a roaring success at Juventus but he stepped down from his manager role after leading the club to its fifth Serie A title in a row.

On paper, Allegri is one of the strongest candidates and most Gunners fans would be willing to give the Italian a chance.

However, the downside is he has never managed outside of his native Italy. Serie A is very different to the Premier League and his style of play might not be suited to England’s top flight.

There are real doubts over whether Allegri would be a good fit for Arsenal…

Erik Ten Hag

In terms of style and substance, Ten Hag fits the bill. In some ways, his appointment would be akin to that of Arsene Wenger in 1996.

He isn’t the biggest name on this list but he is better suited than some of the names linked with the Arsenal job.

Ten Hag deserves plenty of credit for his work at Ajax and he could be the man to take the Gunners back to the top of English football.

He is one of the most sought-after managers in world football though and Arsenal may have to get the cheque book out.

Luis Enrique

Last but not least, we have Enrique. The former Barcelona manager has bags of experience, both at club level and internationally with Spain.

In some ways, Enrique is the complete package and he should be number one on Arsenal’s managerial hit list.

However, Enrique has next to no managerial experience outside of Spain - which is a major negative on his resume.

Arsenal looks like a great fit for the former Spain head coach though and it is quite easy to envision the 49-year-old sitting in the Gunners dugout.

*Credit for the main photo belongs to Jon Super / AP Photo*

We’re 12 games into the new Premier League campaign and it would be fair to claim that Manchester United have been underwhelming in 2019/20.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side got back to winning ways at home to Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday and the Red Devils have climbed up to seventh in the Premier League table.

At the time of writing, United are nine points behind fourth placed Manchester City but the 20-time Premier League champions will be quietly confident of turning things around in the coming months.

Marcus Rashford has six goals in his last nine games in all competitions and United are starting to show signs of quality in the final third.

Consistency continues to elude United though – the Red Devils have four wins, four draws and four defeats from 12 league games.

Furthermore, Solskjaer’s men have scored 16 goals in that spell; fewer than both Burnley and Aston Villa. United have started to find their feet in front of goal but you won’t find too many punters backing them week in, week out.

With back-to-back fixtures against newly promoted clubs approaching, United could end up welcoming Tottenham Hotspur to Old Trafford on December 4^th with a three-game winning streak under their belt.

The busy festive period will be crucial to United’s top four chances and fans will be sweating on Paul Pogba’s fitness ahead of that stretch.

888sport are pricing United at 7/2 to finish in the top four this campaign – though the clubs already in the Champions League spots are looking very strong indeed.

Liverpool are cruising at the top of the table while Leicester City, Chelsea and Manchester City will take some pegging back in their pursuit of featuring in Europe’s elite club competition.

However, many supporters believe that United’s best chance of securing Champions League football at Old Trafford next season is by winning the Europa League.

According to the latest football betting odds, United are priced at 6/1 to win the competition for the second time in the space of four seasons and that could turn out to be a huge price.

United fans have been spoiled in the modern era – Sir Alex Ferguson led the club to unprecedented levels of success, both domestically in the Premier League and in Europe.

The Red Devils are still a superpower in terms of history and heritage but they have fallen some way behind arch rivals Liverpool and Manchester City.

Climbing the Premier League ladder won’t be straightforward by any means - United cannot afford to drop points against the likes of Bournemouth, Southampton and Newcastle.

The Red Devils have been very inconsistent so far this season and their top four aspirations will all but vanish if United continue to fall short.

The Old Trafford faithful are split on this debate. It is in United’s DNA to try and win week in, week out but this squad just isn’t good enough to compete on multiple fronts.

Ole's at the wheel but he has a big decision to make at some point in the near future: sacrifice the Europa League and go all out for the top four or push for European glory.

It is a case of one or the other. Solskjaer’s side will be caught out if they attempt to juggle both competitions – playing on Thursday and Sunday will takes its toll, especially in the second half of the season.

It won’t make or break Solskjaer’s position at Old Trafford but he must act decisively before it is too late.

With the Red Devils already through to the Europa League knockout stages, United can try to build momentum in the Premier League.

Solskjaer’s honeymoon period has been over for some time now but the club legend is ready for the challenge. Give it a few more games and we’ll know more about United’s intentions for the rest of 2019/20.

*Credit for the main photo belongs to Rui Vieira / AP Photo*

Fasten your seatbelts, it’s going to be a bumpy ride.

Liverpool, six points clear at the top of the Premier League table, host Manchester City in what could be one of the decisive games of the 2019/20 campaign.

Jurgen Klopp’s side are priced at 33/20 in Premier League odds to claim three points this weekend and a win will put Liverpool firmly in control of the title race.

The Reds will be fired up and ready for war on Sunday afternoon.

Liverpool have gone 45 matches since their last home defeat in the Premier League – an incredible achievement.

Anfield has been a fortress for the Reds in recent times, with Liverpool winning 13 of their 14 home leagues games in 2019.

Fans of the Merseyside club will be expecting big things ahead of Sunday’s clash.

There isn’t much to split the two teams in the betting but Liverpool will be buoyed by Manchester City’s growing injury list, particularly as goalkeeper Ederson is a major doubt.

With that in mind, the Reds are likely to put City under pressure – Klopp is insistent on pressing high up the pitch and Liverpool won’t change their tactics.

The 2018/19 Champions League winner are top of the table so why would they tweak a winning formula?

888sport punters can back Liverpool at 23/20 to score over 1.5 goals on Sunday and that could turn out to be the bet of the weekend.

This has landed in 16 consecutive home games in all competitions and Klopp’s side will be confident of notching a couple of goals.

Manchester City will be without a number of first team players for Sunday’s trip to Anfield and Pep Guardiola will be sweating over the fitness of Ederson and David Silva.

Fans making the short trip west on the M62 will have real concerns over that City back four.

Fernandinho has been an excellent servant to the club but he looks so out of place in the middle of City’s back four.

There is no real replacement for Aymeric Laporte – he is one of the first names on the teamsheet in most combined Liverpool – Manchester City XIs.

Without a doubt, City’s biggest strength is their depth in midfield. Shifting Fernandinho to centre-half is not a problem when you have Ilkay Gundogan as a replacement.

The Germany international can be City’s midfield general at a hostile Anfield this weekend.

Going forward, City are clinical and we could see former Liverpool star Raheem Sterling make a major impact.

The City frontman has bagged 26 goals and three assists in 29 appearances in 2019/20 and he is worth a punt at 2/1 to score on Sunday.

There is an awful lot riding on this fixture but victory isn’t the be all and end all just yet.

Pep Guardiola will be hoping that City are still in the hunt come January and Laporte’s return in the second half of the campaign should give the visitors a real boost.

The Premier League title race won’t be over if Liverpool win but the Reds will have taken a huge stride towards their maiden success in England’s modern top flight.

A draw or an away win keeps it interesting for neutrals and City could rise to the challenge.

Liverpool dropped points in their recent trip to Old Trafford – fans will be hoping for a more aggressive approach.

Attack City early and test this back four; Guardiola’s side may crumble if the intense Anfield atmosphere gets Liverpool going.

TIP: Liverpool to win (33/20 with 888sport)

LONGSHOT: Sadio Mane to score and Liverpool to win (4/1 with 888sport)

PREDICTED SCORE: Liverpool 3-1 Manchester City (16/1 with 888sport)

*Credit for the main photo belongs to Frank Augstein / AP Photo*

The Badger Beers raceday is the highlight of Wincanton’s Jump racing season with the feature race being the ultra-competitive Silver Trophy.

The race is open to horses four years and older and is run over a distance of 3 miles and 1 furlong.

The 2019 race has 22 entries, including the 2017 and 2018 winner Present Man who will be partnered once again by Bryony Frost. Can the Mark Woodhouse-owned gelding make history and win it for the third year in a row?

Badger Beers: Trends & Statistics

• All of the last 10 winners were aged between six and nine.
• All of the last 10 winners were rated 144 or lower.
• 9 of the last 10 winners carried 11-07 or less.
• 8 of the last 10 winners had won over further than 2m 7f.
• 8 of the last 10 winners finished in the first 3 in one of their last 2 starts.
• 7 of the last 10 winners had between 2 and 4 runs that year.
• 7 of the last 10 winners had won a race that year.

Here is your runner-by-runner guide to the full Badger Beers Silver Trophy field (as of 07.11.19). Let's hope the weather impacts horse racing too much this weekend...

White Moon

White Moon was well fancied in the betting on his seasonal return at Wincanton last month and was still in front when falling at the last.

Colin Tizzard won with Gentleman John three years ago and often targets this early feature race.

Present Man

The nine-year-old is bidding to complete the hat-trick on Saturday off a 4lb higher mark than he humped around last year.

His task looks a pretty tall one given how his form tailed off after winning this on his seasonal debut last season.

Give Me A Copper

Paul Nicholls is looking for an unprecedented tenth success in this race and this may well be the horse he does it with.

Fourth in the Bet365 Chase at Sandown on the last day of last season, the nine-year-old is relatively unexposed.

Cloth Cap

Cloth Cap was last seen finishing a distant fourth behind Ballyoptic at Chepstow which is not mean feat given what that horse did last weekend.

Jonjo O’Neill’s runner is sure to come on for that run.

Johanos

Narrowly went down to Truckers Lodge last time at Chepstow and is held in high regard by his trainer Nigel Hawk. He could be an improver.

West Approach

“Forever the bridesmaid but never the bride” springs to mind when assessing this Colin Tizzard runner. He is highly likely to be on the premises again but for win purposes you have to have your doubts.

Lil Rockerfeller

Versatile performer who always puts in a maximum effort, but hurdling is his main forte and there are just too many chinks in his chasing form to make him a serious betting proposition here.

The Young Master

“Won” this race as a five-year-old, only to be disqualified for not being  eligible to actually race in it. Now at the veteran stage of his career he could run a big race, but he would not want it too soft.

Just A Sting

The seven-year-old runs well fresh as he showed when winning at Uttoxeter on his reappearance last October.

Harry Fry was due to run him at Cheltenham’s opening fixture of the season but he was declared a non-runner.

Achille

Progressed well for Venetia Williams last season and is one who likes to get his heel in, as his victory at Ffos Las so proved.

Williams claimed this prize back in 1998 with Teeton Mill.

Beau Du Brizais

The seven-year-old has been busy already this season with four runs under his belt, the last of which was when finishing runner-up here to Wandrin Star over slightly further.

The Hobbs runner could be an each-way player.

Rock The Kasbah

A solid chaser on his day and a nine time winner in all. Won a decent handicap chase at Cheltenham last November before being brought down in the Grand National and being pulled up at Sandown.

He is just the type who can bounce back fresh.

Calipto

Ran a cracking race behind Go Conquer in the Great Yorkshire Chase last season before accounting for Black Corton at Ascot in his next race.

He was pulled up in the Ultima Chase at The Festival but this is much more his level.

Walk In The Mill

Robert Walford’s nine-year-old won the Becher Chase at Aintree last December before returning to the same venue in April to finish a creditable fourth behind Tiger Roll.

It would come as a surprise not to see another podium finish from him in this race.

Sumkindofking

The Tom George-trained runner came with a late rattle in this last year to just go down by two and a half lengths to Present Man.

The eight-year-old recently finished fourth here to Wandrin Star so has to be considered.

Soupy Soups

Won a nice little race at Perth a couple of starts ago but whether he can bring home the croutons on Saturday afternoon remains to be seen.

Royal Vacation

A grand servant for Colin Tizzard and his owner Mrs Jean Bishop.  He just went down to Rock The Kasbah in the BetVictor Chase last November so clearly still retains plenty of ability.

Carole's Destrier

Neil Mulhollands’ veteran campaigner would probably prefer conditions underfoot a little less testing so there must be question marks over his participation.

Wicked Willy

A Perth regular for Nigel Twiston-Davies who does not look to be anywhere near the same class as some of these.

Cobra De Mai

Pulled up behind Vinndication at Ascot last weekend when going off a 50/1 shot and jumped badly in the rear. Look elsewhere.

Walt

Took the 888sport Handicap Chase at Kempton back in February but has shown nothing like that form since. The eight-year-old needs to bounce back to form quickly to figure.

Whisper

The eleven-year-old beat Clan Des Obeaux twice as recently as 2017 but he has seriously been on the wane since.

He has since moved to Sam Thomas but his debut run for that stable was uncharacteristically poor.

Badger Beers Silver Trophy: Conclusion

I’m a big fan of the Venetia Williams stable at this time of the year, especially if she gets her favoured wet weather, and the Vida Bigham-owned Achille fits the bill for me in this race - you should get good horse racing betting odds on the 9-year-old this weekend.

He is on an upward curve and a race like this looks well within his compass. As a back-up, I will naturally be having an each-way saver on Calipto who really impressed me last season too.

Tennis betting is split into a few different areas. There are pre-tournament bets, looking to pick a winner of an individual event. In-match betting is popular, too – more information on that can be found in our in-play tennis betting guide.

It is one of the most popular sports to bet on. Tennis, unlike many sports, is played all-year round with plenty of matches played almost every day of the calendar year.

Tournaments come thick and fast for those who favour outright betting. It is well-suited to accumulators, such is the intensity of the schedule. There’s no waiting until next weekend to find out if you’re going to be collecting your winnings.

The Grand Slams – Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and Roland Garros – are unsurprisingly the most popular events.

There are plenty of other high-profile tournaments, however, such as Masters events and the Davis Cup. Odds to win the major tournaments are often available months in advance.

What Tennis Bets Are Available?

For those new to tennis betting, it can be a daunting page to visit on a bookmaker’s website. The range of betting options – which make it such a popular sport – is vast from each-way tournament winners through to the winner of the next point.

In-play betting allows bettors to place a wager on anything from the next point to the eventual winner of the match. There are plenty of markets in between.

Exact score markets are available for the game, set and match. There are options to back a tie-breaker or over a certain number of tie-breakers in the match. As in most sports, there are plenty of under/over options – in tennis, this includes games, sets and total points won.

Pre-match betting includes many of the same markets. Handicap betting is particularly popular and an important part of tennis betting strategy. It’s a good way to find value on heavily favoured players and can be a means of constructing an accumulator at a great price. 

888sport offer outright tournament betting throughout major events. Odds are already available for all four Grand Slams in 2020. Bookies will often offer long-term specials, too, such ‘Kim Clijsters to be ranked top 20 before 10^th November 2020’.

Top Tennis Tournaments For Betting

Whether the men’s tour (ATP) or women’s tour (WTA), there are always plenty of matches for bettors to analyse. Value is out there, even if it takes some research into lesser-known players.

Men’s tennis is split into three tiers; ATP tour, ATP Challenger Tour and ITF Futures Tour.

The ATP is still ‘under’ the ITF, but it takes control of most men’s events in the tennis calendar apart from Grand Slams, the Davis Cup and the Olympics.

Players collect points from their performances at events which they ‘keep’ for 12 months and contributes to their ranking. The same system is in place for the WTA tour.

The Challenger Tour is an interesting area for bettors and can be a good place to find value. Players outside the top 80 are usually found here, as are youngsters. Seasoned veterans occasionally drop into the Challenger Tour if they have seen their ranking drop.

Like the ATP, the WTA tour is still under the control of the ITF but runs its own events throughout the year. While the Big Three continue to dominate men’s tennis, the WTA tour is crucial as you research ahead of a big event.

Upsets are more common in women’s tennis and the best bettors will often be able to identify good value by analysing previous WTA matches.

How To Find Value In Tennis Betting

The number of options to bet on tennis are a positive, but they can also make it harder to find that hidden gem of the day. If there are 50 matches happening, not every one is going to have a value price available.

Sifting through the matches that don’t offer anything worthwhile is crucial to finding good value in tennis betting. As in any sport, the key is finding bets where the implied probability differs from your own probability.

An example of this might be Roger Federer against a lesser-known, but in-form player. Federer’s price, largely because of his popularity, is sometimes shorter than it should be.

If the odds imply an 80% chance of a Federer victory, but you think it’s closer to 60%, there’s value to be found either in backing Federer’s opponent or maybe in a handicap bet.

Whatever market you're looking for, when it comes to tennis betting 888 Sport has you covered

*Credit for the main photo belongs to Ng Han Guan / AP Photo*