Sean Dyche’s Burnley are flying right now. Sitting seventh in the top flight table, the Clarets have won three of their last four Premier League games at Turf Moor – all three without conceding a goal.

Meanwhile, Crystal Palace have shown signs of improvement in recent weeks whilst Watford have now gone three games without a win. A tough one to call, but it could be a real entertaining affair for neutrals.

Last but not least, we have Huddersfield Town hosting Chelsea. Antonio Conte’s men will be quietly confident of getting the job done but Huddersfield have already shown that they can go toe to toe with the Premier League’s big boys on their own patch – just ask Manchester United.

Check out our thoughts on Tuesday’s three top flight fixtures…

Burnley vs Stoke City

Chris Wood could be Burnley’s difference maker on Tuesday evening. The former Leeds United man is a real talent in the penalty area and it would be foolish to back against the hosts with Wood in decent form.

Stoke were once one of the toughest teams in England’s top flight but the Potters may struggle to cope with Burnley’s relentless pressure.

Burnley have conceded just two Premier League goals on home soil since the beginning of September and plenty of punters will fancy the Clarets to notch another win to nil in this fixture.

Stoke are languishing just above the relegation zone right now and Mark Hughes is under pressure. The 13/10 for a home win represents excellent value…

TIP: Burnley to win @ 13/10

Crystal Palace vs Watford

Opting for a draw may be the safest option here. Christian Benteke squandered a golden opportunity to snatch a winner for Palace last time out but the Belgium international missed from the penalty spot on that day...

Roy Hodgson was clearly annoyed at the striker immediately after the contest and he could do with a big game against Watford on Tuesday night. Expect Benteke to bounce back...

The Hornets, possibly distracted by talk surrounding Marco Silva’s long-term future at the club, have slipped down the Premier League table in recent weeks.

Watford are decent on the whole and some bettors will be keen to check the odds on an away victory. For me, the draw looks fair and very well priced at 49/20.

TIP: Match to be drawn @ 49/20

Huddersfield Town vs Chelsea

The Terriers have been pretty hit and miss so far this season – just as you’d expect from a newly promoted side.

Huddersfield were excellent against Manchester United earlier in the campaign and were very unlucky to lose to Pep Guardiola’s City last month. Staying in the Premier League remains Huddersfield’s number one priority this season.

Conte conceded that the title race was over after losing to West Ham United last weekend but the Blues will still look to cement their status in the top four.

Chelsea are up there with the strongest clubs in English football and another win looks likely here. Huddersfield will be up for it but Chelsea’s quality should shine through.

TIP: Chelsea to win @ 4/11

*Odds subject to change - correct at time of writing*

The draw for the 2017/18 UEFA Champions League last-16 knockout stage is complete and English football fans will be relatively happy with how things have turned out. Fans of the two Manchester clubs and five-time winners Liverpool were relieved to avoid the likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona in the first knockout round but Tottenham and Chelsea weren’t quite as fortunate.

Antonio Conte’s side, a 25/1 shot to win the competition in our Champions League betting odds, will have to get past Barcelona whilst Tottenham’s reward for finishing above Real and Borussia Dortmund in the group stages is a double header with Juventus. 

Read below for my thoughts on the draw and a few  tips ahead of what could be a memorable tournament.

Juventus vs TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR

Juventus have won the Italian title in each of the last six years but Massimiliano Allegri’s side are struggling to pull away at the top of Serie A. Italy’s premiere division is more competitive now than it has been for well over a decade and the added distraction of a genuine title race may have a negative effect on Allegri’s men.

Spurs have shown exactly what they are made of in recent months and Mauricio Pochettino will be demanding more of the same from his side here. Juventus are one of Europe’s elite clubs but Tottenham have the quality to prevail – especially over two legs. For me, the 6/5 is generous considering Spurs’ exploits in this season’s competition.

TIP: Tottenham to go through @ 6/5

FC Basel vs MANCHESTER CITY

Basel secured a much-needed win over Manchester United on home soil in the group stages but expecting a repeat here may be foolish. Basel simply cannot compete with United’s “noisy neighbours” on a player by player basis and the visitors are well priced at 2/5 to win the first leg.

via GIPHY

Can anyone compete with Pep Guardiola’s men on current form? You’d be hard pressed to find another club capable of going toe to toe with City and coming out on top. The Blues extended their winning run to 14 Premier League games on Sunday – a new record in the top flight. City will be confident of gaining a lead ahead of the second leg in Manchester.

TIP: Man City to win the first leg @ 2/5

FC Porto vs LIVERPOOL

Porto have been rampant so far this season, avoiding defeat in their last 14 league games. In the Champions League, they have been rock solid and fully deserved to reach the knockout stages. Sadly, this could be there their run comes to an end though – Liverpool should be too strong over the course of 180 minutes of football.

Jurgen Klopp’s side are frail defensively, but Liverpool are devastatingly good at the other end. In Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino, Philippe Coutinho and Mohamed Salah, the Reds are blessed with one of the strongest units in world football. There are usually goals whenever Klopp's side are in action and 11/10 for over 1.5 Liverpool goals is a solid price.

TIP: Over 1.5 Liverpool goals in first leg @ 11/10

Sevilla vs MANCHESTER UNITED

Sevilla have been dominant in the Europa League in years gone by but a lack of experience in the Champions League could haunt the Spanish side. In La Liga, Sevilla have slipped down the ladder but their efforts against Liverpool in Europe should not go unnoticed. It would be foolish for United to dismiss their opponents in what could be an exciting double header - although most fans will be quietly confident.

Jose Mourinho’s men are 11 points behind in the title race and the Red Devils may turn their attention to European glory instead. A tie with Sevilla offers a genuine opportunity to reach the quarter finals and United have the quality to go deep into the competition. Take the 4/9 on offer for the Red Devils to advance – Mourinho won’t let United fall short here.

TIP: Man United to go through @ 4/9

Shakhtar Donetsk vs AS Roma

A fairly even affair. Shakhtar, the only team to defeat Manchester City this season, are not without potential but consistency still haunts the Ukrainian side. Capable of giving anybody a difficult evening, Shakhtar will be hoping that the football gods are looking down on them during this double header.

For Roma, it is all about building momentum. Most football fans expected Roma to struggle this year but Eusebio Di Francesco’s side are playing some exceptional stuff right now and it would take a brave man to back against the Italians in this one. 4/9 for Roma to advance is a decent price when all things are considered.

TIP: Roma to go through @ 4/9

Real Madrid vs Paris Saint-Germain

Real Madrid have won this competition in three of the last four years and another triumph beckons if Zinedine Zidane’s men hit top form in the second half of the campaign. The La Liga outfit must improve though, Real haven’t been anywhere near their brilliant best and they cannot afford to carry any passengers in a fixture of this magnitude.

Meanwhile, Paris Saint-Germain are also right up there in the race for European glory. The French giants have been getting closer and closer but you could claim that they are now better equipped to challenge than they’ve ever been. I fancy Real (5/4) to snatch a win on home soil but PSG could end up advancing to the next round.

TIP: Real Madrid to win the first leg @ 5/4

CHELSEA vs FC Barcelona

The defending Premier League champions slipped up against West Ham United in their most recent top-flight encounter and Antonio Conte’s men are in real need of a confidence boost ahead of the busy festive period. With two months until the first leg, Chelsea have plenty of time to turn their hit-and-miss form around.

No Neymar? No problem. Barcelona are still Barcelona and you know that the Spanish giants are going to be competitive at the business end of the campaign. Currently five points clear in the La Liga title race, Barcelona cannot afford to take their eye off the ball and focus will be key. Chelsea can pick up a positive result at home but may crash out over two legs.

TIP: Chelsea to win OR draw the first leg @ 16/25

Bayern Munich vs Besiktas

Last but not least, we have Bayern. The Bavarians are always there or thereabouts in most betting markets and it will come as no surprise to see Munich feature prominently ahead of the knockout stages. Besiktas may offer stern resistance at first but it is difficult to see past Bayern on home soil in the opening fixture.

Should Besiktas pick up a positive result at the Allianz Arena, the Turkish side may be quietly confident of knocking the Bavarians out. Of the eight fixtures, Bayern are probably the most assured of reaching the next round – Besiktas are no slouches though. Be wary of a major shock here, the visitors have the quality to cause problems for Bayern.

TIP: Bayern to win the first leg @ 2/11

Our eight-fold accumulator is priced at 60/1 at the time of writing – click here for more Champions League betting markets and the latest odds…

*Odds subject to change - correct at time of writing*

We’re now just six months away from the 2018 World Cup and football fans will be eagerly anticipating what could be a wide-open tournament. Brazil, five time winners of the famous Jules Rimet Trophy, are currently favourites at 9/2 in 888sport’s World Cup betting markets but Germany will take some stopping. We’ve previewed each group ahead of next summer’s competition – it may turn out to be a memorable tournament…

GROUP A: Russia, Uruguay, Egypt, Saudi Arabia

Home advantage is huge at any major event but Russia could fall short here. On paper, you could argue that Russia should be favourites here – and with good reason. Uruguay reached the semi-finals in 2010 but a lot has changed since then. Meanwhile, Egypt are improving whilst Saudi Arabia could spring a shock or two.

I like Egypt in this group. Uruguay and Russia are there for the taking whilst Saudi Arabia are a class below their rivals here. With Mohamed Salah in fine form for Liverpool, Egypt could be one of the surprise nations next summer. 21/10 is a very fair price for Egypt to advance to the knockout stages despite their lack of experience at this level.

TIP: Egypt to finish in the top two @ 21/10

GROUP B: Spain, Portugal, Morocco, Iran

Not quite a “group of death” but it is close. A mouth-watering battle between Portugal and Spain for top spot awaits and neutrals will be keeping a watchful eye on both nations ahead of the tournament. It would be foolish to look past the top two in the betting here, neither Iran nor Morocco are capable of advancing to the next round.

It is difficult to look past Spain here. Julen Lopetegui’s side were outstanding throughout the qualifying campaign and the 2010 winners could compete for glory. David Silva, Manchester City’s creative genius, is a 12/1 shot to record the most assists next summer. He could wreak havoc against the likes of Morocco and Iran in the group stages…

TIP: Spain to win the group @ 3/5

GROUP C: France, Denmark, Peru, Australia

Christian Eriksen and Denmark will be quietly confident of advancing to the knockout stages despite being drawn into France’s group. Australia scraped into the competition whilst Peru are relatively inexperienced at this level. On paper, this is not one of the stronger groups and it wouldn’t be a huge surprise to see France and Denmark advance comfortably.

France fell short against Portugal in the European Championship final on home soil and Les Bleus will be looking to redeem that defeat next summer. Didier Deschamps’ side have the quality to fight for World Cup glory and there are no excuses for France to fail. Denmark are a decent outfit but you’d still fancy France to avoid defeat in Group C.

TIP: France to win the group @ 7/20

GROUP D: Argentina, Croatia, Nigeria, Iceland

I fancy Croatia to do the business next summer. After a solid showing at Euro 2016, Croatia can now push on and go far against the best teams on the planet. Finishing top of Group D would be huge for confidence and it will take a major collapse for Croatia to fall short at the first hurdle. 2/5 to reach the next round is a very tasty price indeed.

Argentina are the most unpredictable team in the competition. Capable of emulating their 2014 World Cup performance by going all the way to the final, Argentina will be confident ahead of the tournament but it may be wise to stay clear in the betting. Lionel Messi and co squeezed through and it may be wise to stick with Croatia.

TIP: Croatia to finish in the top two @ 2/5

GROUP E: Brazil, Serbia, Switzerland, Costa Rica

Most football fans will be viewing this one as a straight up dogfight between Serbia and Switzerland for second spot. Brazil should romp to the knockout round as group winners whilst Costa Rica may struggle to cope with the Russian conditions. Take your pick, backing either side to emerge victorious is difficult.Anything less than three wins for Brazil will be seen as a failure. On paper, Brazil should be challenging for World Cup glory and it would take a brave man to back against the five-time winners next summer. With Neymar – 8/1 to win the Golden Boot award – in supreme form, anything is possible and he is good enough to lead Brazil out of Group E as clear winners.

TIP: Brazil to win the group @ 1/4

GROUP F: Germany, Mexico, Sweden, South Korea

Sweden, Mexico and South Korea will fight for second spot here – Germany are destined to advance as group winners. Sweden legend Zlatan Ibrahimović could make a shock return to international football ahead of the competition and his inclusion may swing the race in their favour. As it stands though, Mexico probably just about have the edge.

Winning back to back World Cups is no easy feat but Germany have the quality, the strength in depth and the experience to do just that. Joachim Low’s men are on the verge of making history and Germany should cruise through the first stage next summer. None of their three group rivals should pose too many problems.

TIP: Germany to win the group @ 2/5

GROUP G: Belgium, England, Tunisia, Panama

With the greatest of respect to Tunisia and Panama, England couldn’t have hoped for a better draw. Gareth Southgate’s men should be winning two group stage games here and that will be enough to see the Three Lions advance to the next round. Neither Tunisia nor Panama should put up too much resistance.

Having said that, this is still Belgium’s group to lose. With matchwinners in key areas of the field, Roberto Martinez has a talented squad at his disposal and this star-studded Belgium outfit could go far next summer. At 9/10 to win the group, they are well priced considering their efforts at the 2014 edition and England’s woes on the big stage.

TIP: Belgium to win the group @ 9/10

GROUP H: Colombia, Poland, Senegal, Japan

Colombia are fighting it out near the top of the FIFA world rankings but this isn’t going to be a walk in the park for the South American outfit. In what might turn out to be a very tight group, Colombia and Poland probably rank slightly ahead of Senegal and Japan but picking an outright winner is difficult.

A tough group to call. All four nations have their own strengths and weaknesses but Poland may be the team to beat. Winning the group may be a little far but it is difficult to look past the European side. Senegal and Colombia are excellent going forward but Poland’s stability at the back should give them a slight edge.

TIP: Poland to finish in the top two @ 4/9

This eight-fold accumulator is currently priced at 45/1 – our latest World Cup markets are available via this link…

*Odds subject to change - correct at time of writing*

The International returns to Cheltenham Racecourse this Friday and Saturday.

Giving racegoers one last chance to get their Prestbury Park fix before the year is out, The International showcases some great NH action and features one of the most significant hurdle races of the entire season.

Friday’s card includes another running of the Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Chase which last year saw Irish trainer, Edna Bolger record his seventh success in the race.

The Saturday is set to be equally enthralling with the feature race being the International Hurdle, while racegoers can look forward to yet another Gold Cup- this time the Caspian Caviar Gold Cup.

The first four home in last month’s BetVictor Gold Cup – Splash Of Ginge, Starchitect, Le Prezien and Ballyalton – are among the entries for the £120,000 Caspian Caviar Gold Cup. The Group 3 handicap chase carries an increased prize fund this year, up £20,000 from the 2016 total.

Bumper Entry

36 horses have been entered for the Caspian Caviar Gold Cup with some interesting contenders amongst them.

Paul Nicholls has won the Caspian Caviar Gold Cup four times in all and his four-strong team includes Le Prezien and the recent Haydock scorer Clan Des Obeaux.

Nicky Henderson has five entries to choose from, more than any other trainer, with his best chance probably being with Gold Present.

Evan Williams will saddle On Tour and King's Odyssey.

On Tour made a successful reappearance at Aintree, while King's Odyssey was third in a graduation chase at Carlisle.

Williams said: "It all depends on the ground with King's Odyssey and he could go for the Caspian Caviar Gold Cup, provided there is plenty of cut.

"It was a positive comeback at Carlisle. He has always promised to win a nice race, and we think perhaps he is one of those horses that we should have won a nice race with already.

"On Tour is a funny old horse because he is another who has promised to win a nice race and thankfully we were able to win a good pot at Aintree.

"It might be that we have won our pot now, but he deserves to be in the all big two-and-a-half-mile handicaps like the Caspian Caviar Gold Cup because there is such good prize money on offer and he has shown that he can run well in those types of races."

After being just touched off by Splash Of Ginge in the BetVictor Gold Cup connections of Starchitect decided almost straight away that they would return for a crack at the Caspian Gold Cup.

Jason Maguire, racing manager for owners Paul and Clare Rooney, said: "He has form on soft ground and he likes that trip.

"He's as good as gold after the race so we'll probably head back to Cheltenham next.

"It's probably a bit too early to be making plans for the spring, but we'll see what the handicapper does with him.

"Hopefully he'll be even better in the spring and we'll probably look at those good two-and-a-half-mile handicaps with him."

After three successive wins the novice Deauville Dancer is stepping up to the big league.

His trainer David Dennis said: “Deauville Dancer has come out of Doncaster very well. He is quite fresh and did not have too hard a time.

“He has gone up 7lb in the handicap on the back of that which will hopefully help us get in the Caspian Caviar Gold Cup, provided the ground is suitable as he doesn’t want it testing.

“Although he is still a novice, he is very confident with his jumping. I think that is his forte. It is probably a bit of a brave shot going for a race like the Caspian Caviar Gold Cup but he has jumped so well that it would not be a concern.

“He seems to settle well his races now, which is a big factor, and, although he has never run over two miles and five furlongs, I don’t the trip will be problem as he was stayer on the Flat.”

In form trainer Dan Skelton has two interesting runners in Oldgrangewood and Long House Hal.

Ascot scorer Go Conquer is a Jonjo O’Neill representative to keep an eye on whilst Doitforthevillage, who won at Cheltenham’s November Meeting, steps up in distance for this.

International Success

Man of the moment, Nigel Twiston-Davies, has high hopes of giving the owners of The New One another Saturday to savour right on the back of the one they have just enjoyed with Blaklion at Aintree in the Becher Chase.

Speaking at a media event at his yard this week, Twiston-Davies said: "The New One is looking really good after his run in the Greatwood, where he was beaten only about five lengths. I thought he ran a superb race and he proved yet again he was by far the best horse in the race.

"He'll have a penalty again, but he gave 8lb to My Tent Or Yours in last year's International and there's no reason he can't do so again, although rain would help."

The three-time Champion Hurdle runner-up My Tent Or Yours is firmly on track to reappear in the International Hurdle in which he was runner-up to The New One last year.

Nicky Henderson was thrilled with the ten-year-old’s preparation this week and believes the International is the ideal race for him.

Henderson has won the International Hurdle three times before with Geos (2000), Binocular (2008*) and Grandouet (2011).

*In 2008 the race was held at Ascot.

This weekend’s Manchester derby could not come at a better time. Manchester City are top of the table by eight points, and could set a record by winning 14 straight matches. Manchester United are in second, having plodded along within reasonable sniping distance of their local rivals.

Catching City has largely remained plausible because of this fixture. Win it, and the gap is a mere five points. Fail to win at Old Trafford, though, and get engravers at the ready for Manchester City’s third Premier League title.

City’s near flawless season to date makes any prospect of a genuine title race only a faint hope. Guardiola’s team have not been at their fluent of best of late, but they have still only dropped two points in the league this season. It’s worth noting that those two points were largely down to a foolish Kyle Walker red card.

History of fixtures can be misleading. Changes in management and different players make comparisons between now and years past barely relevant. The track record of this bitterly-contested derby at Old Trafford has a pattern of note, though.

Manchester City did not win a league match at Manchester United’s home from 1974 until 2008. Since 2011 – the season when City won their first Premier League title – Manchester United have won only one of six derbies on their turf.

In that period, too, City have won the league twice. Manchester United have won it just once – in Alex Ferguson’s final season – and finished outside the top four in all but one of the seasons since Ferguson’s retirement.

The title tussle in 2011/12 ended in one of the all-time great sporting moments. The voice of Martin Tyler echoes around the Etihad Stadium to this day, but it was the 6-1 humiliation at Old Trafford that set the tone for City’s campaign. Roberto Mancini’s side not only secured a rare derby win, they dismantled United in a way that had been unthinkable throughout Ferguson’s historic reign.

This weekend will have similar implications. City’s majestic football has deprived us of a toe-to-toe battle in Manchester, but this weekend is a neutral’s glimmer of hope. It is no more than a cooling ember of what could have been a roaring, fiery season, but it might just be the final chance to grasp City before they storm into the sunset.

Jose Mourinho and Guardiola are – too often, perhaps – the stories themselves. City’s manager was in the spotlight for an excitable chat with Nathan Redmond last week, and Jose Mourinho’s pre-match press conference this Friday will have the attention of the footballing world. Their rivalry began in Spain, and each new chapter gets thorough investigation for the slightest signal of bitterness.

Underachievement last year contributed to relative peace. For fans of ‘mind games’, we can be sure that will end in the coming days.

Guardiola, though, has the upper hand on Mourinho with eight wins to Mourinho’s four. Both will approach the match in the same way they have approached previous meetings, despite the circumstances.

Mourinho has to end City’s dominance at Old Trafford, and beat his nemesis for a fifth time to keep the door towards the Premier League trophy ajar. He was hired to bring major titles to Old Trafford, and push back against the growth of the noisiest neighbours in world football.

Another home loss would be a failure for Mourinho, and – perhaps more importantly – set City on the path of an invincible Premier League campaign.

Talk of ‘power shifts’ drew plenty of attention prior to the north London derby a few weeks ago. The contest for the upper-hand in Manchester is far clearer this decade, and there’s no doubt the onus is on this weekend’s hosts to wrestle against the sky-blue juggernaut.

If Mourinho can mastermind a second Premier League home derby win since 2011, it will not only begin to offset City’s years of superiority, but reignite the chance of a challenge to Guardiola’s side.