Cristiano Ronaldo is STILL the best player in the world

Cometh the big stage, cometh the man: Ronaldo scored a hat-trick for the second European clash in a row to lead Real Madrid to a 3-0 win against arch rivals Atletico. It didn’t take long for the Portuguese star, who has now bagged a record 103 Champions League goals in his career, to make an impact as he headed Los Blancos into a first half lead.

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With 20 minutes remaining, Atletico were still in with a chance of picking up a positive result but Ronaldo stepped up to the plate to put the tie out of reach. On 73 minutes, he finished clinically from the edge of the box before completing his hat-trick in the final stages. Lionel Messi is a phenomenal talent but Ronaldo is still leading the way at the top of the sport.

The Juventus defensive juggernaut rolls on

It has been over 600 minutes since Gianluigi Buffon and the Juventus defence last conceded a Champions League goal. Massimiliano Allegri has built up one of the strongest and most reliable units in European football and Juventus will be quietly confident of finishing the job on home soil when Monaco travel to Italy next week.

Despite all of Monaco’s talent in attack, Juventus coped fairly well with the threat and the Italian outfit will fancy their chances against Real Madrid if both sides advance to the final in Cardiff. The thought of Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema going up against Giorgio Chiellini, Leonardo Bonucci and Andrea Barzagli is mouth-watering to say the least...

Atletico have slipped further behind their city rivals

On paper, Atletico are incredibly strong; with the likes of Antoine Griezmann, Fernando Torres and Kevin Gameiro leading the line. However, they have lost their ability to ‘see’ matches out. Defensively, they are nowhere near as solid as they were a few years ago and they MUST improve significantly ahead of the second leg next week.

Diego Simeone has led Atletico to two Champions League finals and a La Liga title but they will always be in Real’s shadow. Unfortunately, the Argentinian cannot really take Atletico much further and a change in career path could be on the cards. They are still blessed with talent but Real are now streets ahead of their oldest foes.

Gonzalo Higuain CAN do it on the big stage

The Argentina forward has had to deal with his fair share of criticism throughout his career; both in Spain and in Italy. Last summer, Serie A champions Juventus decided to fork out £74 million for the Napoli striker – an extortionate sum of money. Nobody thought that Higuain could top his 43 goals in 57 appearances campaign in his first season at Juventus...

But he has. Higuain has notched 31 goals in 48 games this season, including two in the first leg victory over Monaco. At 29 years old, he is well and truly in the prime of his career and his presence upfront gives Juventus an elite striker option – something they didn’t have when losing to Barcelona in the Champions League final in 2015.

Zinedine Zidane is a genius

If Zidane was a Real Madrid legend as a player, imagine how high his stock is with fans these days. Since taking over at the helm, the Frenchman – who featured in over 150 matches for Madrid during the Galacticos era – has been a revelation, leading Real to the European Cup in his first season before surpassing Barcelona’s record unbeaten run of 39 games.

His passion and commitment to Real is clear for all to see; he has the club’s best interests at heart. With Zidane leading the way and revolutionising the managerial scene, Madrid may be on the verge of dominating the European stage once again. Another Champions League crown could be on the cards if the Real boss stays calm, cool and collected.

Huddersfield’s joyous start to their Premier League life has had a severe reality check of late. David Wagner’s side have not been victorious in their last five competitive matches. Their two wins leave them in a decent position after six league matches, but the momentum has waned.

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The Terriers host a Spurs side more comfortable away from home. Mauricio Pochettino has seen his team score two or more in their last five away league matches, and come into this one after am emphatic 3-0 victory away at Apoel Nicosia in the Champions League on Tuesday night.

Harry Kane has regained his very best form of late, too. Spurs’ talismanic centre forward netted a hat-trick in their midweek victory, and is scoring at a rate that justifiably sees him amongst the best strikers in the world. When the England international gets hot, he tends to stay hot. His price of 11/20 is not great value, however, so a first goal bet at 15/8 is more tempting.

With Steven Mounie a doubt and having scored only once in their last four league outings, Wagner’s side could really struggle against this Spurs defence.

While injuries impact Pochettino’s selection elsewhere, the back line will be at as good as full strength. The combination of Huddersfield’s offensive shortcomings and Spurs’ consistent solidity defensively, a both teams to score – no - bet at 8/11 has to be a price worth considering.

The match could become very congested centrally. Dele Alli and Christian Eriksen – or his replacement if he’s unavailable – will both drop into the middle third on occasion and Eric Dier will keep close tabs on Aaron Mooy.

If Huddersfield are to have any chance of causing a serious upset on Saturday lunchtime, their wingers – Tom Ince and Elias Kachunga – will need to regularly get the better of Spurs’ wing-backs. Stretching the game and overloading in wide areas is the best opportunity to imbalance the Spurs defence. Ultimately, it may take a moment of individual brilliance for the Terriers to find a breakthrough.

Wagner’s side have been well set up out of possession thus far. Defensively they have looked secure, and will rely on that again this weekend. Should they go behind, however, they will be forced to open up and we will get our first glimpse of how they cope against a top six attack.

With Spurs keen to get the ball into the feet of their two attacking midfielders, Mooy will be under pressure and sometimes outnumbered. His price of 15/4 to pick up a yellow card looks a very good one if Spurs are able to transition quickly and find the former Manchester City man out of position.

This is a test for Huddersfield far beyond anything else they have faced. Playing at home, after Spurs had a long away trip in midweek, might help them out a smidge, but it looks bleak for the Yorkshire club. The Lilywhites are working towards their top form at the moment, and have a striker who seems to be converting almost any chance.

If Eriksen and Mousa Dembele cannot play it might sway it slightly, but Spurs’ steely defence with the lethal Kane should be too much alone.

TIP: Spurs to win and Kane to score @ 9/10

“The last time I was this excited about a United youngster was, well, you can go right back to Paul Scholes and David Beckham for that. As for Ronaldo I can see the similarities. Everybody goes on about his pace but he’s also got unbelievable feet for someone so quick. He’s not small either and I like how his manager has coaxed him in gently and not put all the responsibility onto him straight away.”

“He’s looking absolutely fantastic and now that he’s back playing in his favourite position of centre-forward he’s started to score goals as well. So I can see similarities and if he becomes half the player Ronaldo is then we’re all in for a treat.”

The reason for the 18 year old’s recent switch to centre-forward is of course due to Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s injury that will deprive United of their Swedish maestro for the duration of the season. Sharpe however, sees a significant silver lining to the otherwise cruel blow. 

“When you look on paper at the amount of goals he’s scored you could say the top four place is now in danger. But he (Ibrahimovic) does slow things down a bit and if Marcus Rashford is given a go as a number nine he could cause as many problems, if not more, than Ibrahimovic does. In the handful of games that are left, Rashford is more than capable of scoring the goals to secure that top four spot.”

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“Ibra is a big miss in that he raises the standard of the team around him when he plays but he can still have a big influence in the dressing room and the pace of Rashford and the younger lads might work to United’s advantage.”

As for Ibra’s future, that remains clouded in serious doubt following this week’s confirmation of cruciate knee-ligament damage that will surely rule the striking legend out for a lengthy spell. With a contract extension presently unsigned somewhere in Ed Woodward’s office, Sharpe is pragmatic as to United’s best strategy.

"Clouded future". Zlatan Ibrahimovic

“It’s a tricky one because at 36 when you’ve just done your cruciate that’s a twelve month out job. So Ibra is not going to be looking to come back until February of next year. That’s a long wait and he’ll be on a lot of money. For a one-year contract is that wait worth it when in the summer there’s every chance that the manager will go out and buy a big money striker anyway?”

“It’s a tough one for the club and I understand just to dump him when he gets injured is a harsh thing to do but this is not showfriends, its showbusiness. The club have got to do what is right for them and if that means letting Ibrahimovic go then I’m sure that’s what they’re going to do.”

Precisely who that ‘big money striker’ will be only time will tell but we can be certain in today’s climate the sums will be mind-blowing. This week saw the Reds’ neighbours and closest rivals Manchester City reportedly pull out of a deal for Monaco’s superstar-in-the-making Kylian Mbappe after being quoted an astonishing $120m. Would United baulk at such a figure given their need to replace not only Ibrahimovic but also, possibly, Wayne Rooney this summer?

“If Mbappe is going to score goals and help sell hundreds of thousands of shirts around the world they’re probably not going to lose out on the deal anyway. With Jose Mourinho now they make a statement and being one of the biggest clubs in the world they have to pay transfer fees in accordance with that. So to buy the best in the world, to be the best in the world you’re going to have to pay that fee. I don’t think they’d even flinch to be honest.”

For the thirteen time Premier League champions to have any hope of landing such big fish it is essential they can offer Champions League football next term – “Griezmann won’t be an option if United miss out on Europe” – which leads us to the present and this Thursday’s momentously important derby, a combustible ninety minutes that could conceivably decide each club’s fate for the foreseeable future.

Summer target? Kilian Mbappe

Having won three league titles during his eight years at Old Trafford – not to mention being involved in several all-Manchester skirmishes – Sharpe is well aware of what qualities are needed as the finish line approaches and the must-win games come thick and fast.

“United have got to keep the pressure on now. It’s squeaky bum time and a lot of things can happen. So they have to hold their nerve because it’s not about performances anymore, it’s about results. United have got a really tough run-in playing against the biggest teams but they’re renowned for pulling off results against them so there is no reason why they can’t do it. This derby game though is absolutely vital.”

“The way United played against Chelsea last week is just the way they need to against City. They played high and denied Chelsea any chance of gaining momentum or confidence. City’s defence is their weak link so United need to get at them from the word go and don’t allow them to get into any kind of stride.”

Though the magnitude of this game is enthralling for neutrals there is no question that bigger and better things were expected of both Manchester giants this year. Can either Guardiola or Mourinho really be satisfied with their opening seasons in charge?

“In a private conversation Pep and Jose would both admit that they’ve under-achieved a little. Pep would have been expecting to challenge for the league and Jose – as good as he has done – will be looking at those home draws this year and thinking if they’d won half of them they’d be up there with Chelsea. He’ll be disappointed with his home record.”

Perhaps then being the away side on Thursday evening is a blessing in disguise for a club Sharpe clearly still holds dear. It certainly places even more demands on their blue neighbours who simply dare not miss out on football’s holy grail.

“Unlike United who have the Europa League still to play for City are in the last chance saloon. This is their one and only chance and they’re not a million miles away from United with Everton and Arsenal still chasing too. So City will definitely be feeling the pressure and with Pep experiencing his first season in his managerial life without a trophy it is imperative they get top four.”

Shaun Wright-Phillips Exclusive: Sterling could be a big threat not only for City but for England as well

Lee Sharpe’s quickfire questions

Score prediction for derby
2-1 to United

First goalscorer
Rashford

Who will be the Premier League’s leading goalscorer?
Lukaku

Who will win the Champions League?
Juventus

Lee Sharpe's greatest goals for Man-U

It has become a bit of a cliché: a football team play a Champions League game on Wednesday night or a Europa League clash on a Thursday night; they then play a domestic match the following weekend, and an adverse performance or result leads many to suggest that the European clash had a bearing.

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Could it really be true that in the days of football teams having enormous squads, they still find it difficult to follow up a match in Europe with the next domestic game? Surely some canny rotation can work wonders, while the confidence gained from a positive Champions League match could surely aid their cause next time out?

Leicester City nosedive after being crowned champions

During the 2016/17 season, we studied several teams across Europe that played in the Champions League, and the first team to be examined were Leicester City. The Foxes had pulled several rabbits out of the hat to become champions of England in the 2015/16 campaign and were now ready to take the continent by storm.

On paper, the squad was stronger than ever before. Islam Slimani and Ahmed Musa had been added as attacking players, with Claudio Ranieri persuading Jamie Vardy and RiyadMahrez to remain at the King Power. Only N’GoloKanté slipped through their grasp as the Frenchman signed for Chelsea.

Ranieri was keen to make a decent fist of their unlikely place in the Champions League, and Leicester’s group draw couldn’t have been kinder, with Club Brugge, FC Porto and FC Copenhagen the other three teams in the section. A 3-0 win in Belgium followed by a 1-0 win over Porto set the Foxes on course for the last 16.

However, there was a stark contrast between what was being achieved in the Champions League and their domestic form, with Leicester noticeably under par away from home during the early part of the season. At the time of writing, Leicester have qualified for the last 16 of the European Cup as group winners, yet they have taken just a point on the road this season.

Similarly, part of the reason why Leicester were able to win the 2015/16 Premier League title was precisely because there was a power vacuum in English football. In addition to champions Chelsea imploding under JoséMourinho and Liverpool finding their feet under Jürgen Klopp, there were the stumbles occurring at Arsenal and Manchester City.

Both of the latter teams had the constant distraction of Champions League football since September, with Leicester simply able to concentrate on each Premier League game that came along, while there were no expectation levels once Leicester had secured enough points to avoid relegation.

Ranieri was hasty to ensure that his team were eliminated from both domestic cup competitions as a far greater prize began to emerge, and Leicester were able to win the Premier League by ten points. However, this year they are “in a relegation battle”, according to their Italian manager, who will hope to achieve a turnaround in domestic performances and results.

Will Chelsea and Liverpool prosper this season?

Manchester City, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur are the other English teams in the Champions League this season. Meanwhile, Manchester United are involved in the Europa League, and it appears as thoughJoséMourinho is willing to take this competition seriously given some of the sides he has put out.

The top English clubs who don’t feature in Europe this season are Chelsea and Liverpool. At the time of writing, they occupy the top two positions in the Premier League, with the former having won their last seven matches to make a swift ascent to the summit.

While it’s still early days in the Premier League title challenge, it surely isn’t a coincidence that Antonio Conte and Jürgen Klopp can sit down every week and make a week-long preparation plan for their forthcoming match. Indeed, neither manager is even willing to field the majority of first-teamers when it comes to domestic cup competitions.

In an age when football is so focused on each player having supreme fitness levels and the ability to outrun the opposition, it surely follows that these top teams who aren’t involved in European competition will have a distinct advantage during the weeks and months when Champions League and Europa League fixtures are prevalent.

Between mid-September and the beginning of December, there are six group fixtures that need to be played, and the rigours of fielding a strong team in these matches that are sandwiched by domestic encounters can take their toll.

After the group stage, English clubs are dealt a hectic fixture schedule that differs greatly to the extended winter break that is enjoyed by European counterparts in Germany, Spain, France and Italy. Indeed, the lack of a winter break in England is often cited as a reason why the England national team don’t fare well enough in summer international tournaments.

As we head towards late February, the knockout stages of the Champions League and Europa League take place, with teams involved once again having to play two games per week on a regular basis. Injuries and fatigue start to become prevalent as a long, hard season starts to reach its culmination.

Will Atlético Madrid forsake La Liga this season?

After 13 games played, Atlético have slipped nine points behind city rivals Real Madrid. While it’s not an insurmountable gap, and manager Diego Simeone will be at pains to claim that his side haven’t given up on things domestically, the Argentine must be acutely aware that forsaking La Liga could actually play into his team’s hands.

Real Madrid and Barcelona are arch-rivals who could be battling all the way to the line in Spain this term, with Atlético realistically unlikely to overhaul either side when you consider that they have been punching above their weight for such a long time.

However, Atlético have been the bridesmaid of Europe in the past few seasons, reaching the Champions League final in 2014 and 2016 before coming a cropper against Real on both occasions.

Many feel that the 15 points that have been dropped domestically by Los Colchoneros this season may turn out to be a blessing in disguise, with Atlético going through to the last 16 of the Champions League as likely group winners, and they will automatically avoid another Spanish side in the last 16.

Simeone has seen his team already beat Bayern Munich in the group stage of the Champions League this term, thus illustrating their mastery of the competition. While the Madrid side are far from a flash in the pan like Leicester City, the growing imbalance of money across Europe means that they might not have a better chance to achieve success in this competition before a stronger English challenge emerges.

RB Leipzig steal a march on Dortmund and Bayern

Who knows whether Red Bull Leipzig will “do a Leicester” and claim an unlikely Bundesliga title this season? At the time of writing, the German team have enjoyed a storming campaign thanks to an unbeaten start that has seen them win nine games and draw three thus far.

Seven straight wins have recently been enjoyed at exactly the same time that Chelsea have been enjoying the same thing in England. Coincidence? Or is it just that they have been growing stronger in a league without the distractions of the Champions League or even the Europa League.

A 3-2 win at Bayer Leverkusen was especially notable considering it took place just days before Leverkusen were involved in a crunch Champions League clash against CSKA. There was also a 3-1 victory against a Mainz side who had previously been pulverised 6-1 by Anderlecht in the Europa League.

Leipzig are now in the groove, just like Leicester were last season. They have a vibrant young team and some money behind them, while they also know that Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund’s participation in Europe is likely to continue for the remainder of the campaign.

At the time of writing, Bayern have dropped nine points, and there were two points dropped at home to Cologne immediately after the team had suffered a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Atlético Madrid. Similarly, a 2-1 win away to PSV was followed by another 1-1 draw, this time at home to Hoffenheim.

It could be that Bayern are perhaps recovering from the departure of Pep Guardiola and acclimatising to the arrival of Carlo Ancelotti and his new methods. However, it remains a difficult challenge to balance domestic and European duties, even if you have a bulging squad of international players like the Bavarian side.

Borussia Dortmund have been devastating at times this season, though they suffered a 2-0 reverse at Bayer Leverkusen immediately after a 2-2 draw against Real Madrid, while that spectacular 8-4 victory against Legia Warsaw had the continent purring. That was before a 2-1 reverse took place at Eintracht Frankfurt, bringing Thomas Tuchel’s side back down to earth with a bump.

The reality is that an additional workload for any football team brings a variety of complications. While the clubs in the Champions League often have a massive squad with practically two players for every position, managers are nearly always more successful with a settled team when it comes to domestic and European engagements.

Therefore, the demands on top players to feature at their best at the weekend before dusting themselves down and featuring just a few days later can often take their toll. This is especially the case towards the end of a season where knockout football is being played and these intense clashes can require high levels of fitness and concentration.

Thibaut Courtois

Courtois was one of several Chelsea players lambasted at times last season, but he has returned to the form that made him one of Europe’s best.

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Worked harder by Manchester City than he will have been all season, there were a couple of real standout saves from Courtois that should not be forgotten.

Damien Delaney

After conceding five last weekend, a clean sheet was desperately needed for Crystal Palace – who have carried the ugliest record in 2016.

Damien Delaney continues to perform at the highest level and was a rock against Southampton, helping the Eagles to secure a vital victory and a rare clean sheet.

Bruno Martins Indi

Gone are the days when Stoke City were a wreck without Ryan Shawcross.

Bruno Martins Indi and Marc Muniesa have looked solid in the last two games and, in fact, Shawcross may struggle to return to the XI. Hughes experimented with a 3-4-3 against Burnley and the Potters were clinical to kill the game in the first half.

David Luiz

What I believed to be overreaction to Luiz’s nudge on Aguero in the first half seemed to inspire the Brazilian further.

He has been magnificent of late, but his display at the heart of the Chelsea defence this weekend is one of the best we will see all season.

Maybe, just maybe, resigning Luiz was not the worst piece of business ever.

Nathan Ake

Amidst all the chaos in the game at Vitality Stadium, Nathan Ake remained a figure of calm right up to the last. Stealing the headlines with his late scrambled finish, Ake’s performances of late have shown why he was once rated so highly at Chelsea.

IdrissaGueye

Despite the talent in Manchester United’s midfield, IdrissaGueye was again the dominant force at Goodison Park.

Intercepting passes and tackling efficiently, Gueye continues to prove himself as one of the best midfielders in the league.

Didier Ndong

Sunderland’s road to recovery continued this weekend and, while Defoe and Anichebe will receive much of the praise, they had Didier Ndong to thank in the heart of the midfield.

Making sure the Black Cats maintained numerical advantage in the middle third, Ndong was dominant throughout.

Christian Eriksen

It seems as though Eriksen’s belting strike against Chelsea has reinvigorated his season.

As poor as Swansea were, Spurs looked a different side. Eriksen was one of the key protagonists in such change, as he moved the ball quickly, producing some sublime passes and found the net twice.

Matt Phillips

Quickly making himself in a fantasy football hero, Matt Phillips has been a shining light in West Brom’s recent rich vein of form.

His direct running and newly-found end product have made the Baggies a force to be reckoned with and the Scot put Watford to the sword with ease this weekend.

Diego Costa

Whatever happened to all of Chelsea’s players last year becomes more mysterious with each performance.

Diego Costa is a new man this season, focusing on football rather than scrapping, and he looks truly unstoppable for the most part. Costa dominated Manchester City’s defence this weekend, leading Chelsea’s comeback with his wonderfully taken goal.

Alexis Sanchez

There was talk of Alexis’ hat-trick being the best in Premier League history and its hard to argue with that.

While Arsenal were dominant against West Ham, the Chilean was the real difference between the two sides. The Irons’ defence could not handle his movement and we are unlikely to see a better individual display this season.

Southampton to beat Crystal Palace – 34/27

After the heartbreak of last weekend’s defeat to Swansea, Crystal Palace must be wondering what they have to do to pick up even a point. The home crowd will be nervous for the visit of Southampton, too, particularly after the Saints defeated Arsenal in the EFL Cup in midweek.

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Alan Pardew’s side have now lost six on the bounce in the league, while Southampton claimed an important victory over Everton last time out. Despite the quality in the Palace squad, Pardew has been unable to stop the leaking of the defence or get the best out of his attacking players. Southampton have one of the meanest defences in the league, meaning that the Eagles would need a true turnaround to take anything from this game.

Although they have to play away from home, Southampton to win the game is the clear value bet from this match.

Stoke City to beat Burnley – 8/13

Stoke City return to the Bet 365 Stadium on the back of an impressive victory away at Watford last time out. Despite missing several of their key players, Mark Hughes’ team looked well-balanced and limited their hosts to only a handful of chances. Burnley suffered their second defeat in a row last weekend, however, as they succumbed to the pressure of Manchester City to lose 2-1.

Separated by only a couple of points in the table, these two sides have markedly different ambitions for the season. Stoke are about to enter a challenging Christmas period that could easily derail their hopes of a top half finish, while Burnley will be delighted to have breathing space from the relegation zone.

Despite how resolute Sean Dyche’s side can be, Stoke’s performance last weekend, along with the bellowing home crowd, makes them the best offer from this game – even at 8/13.

Tottenham to beat Swansea – 9/25

Success against Crystal Palace last time out needs to be the start of something greater for Swansea, but its hard to see that growing against Spurs at White Hart Lane. Although the Lilywhites suffered defeat against Chelsea, their much improved performance gave an indication that they can return to their levels of last season.

Odds are heavily in Spurs’ favour this game and understandably so. Harry Kane’s return to the side has rejuvenated the team in possession, while Swansea’s five goals scored last time out have been the outlier in an otherwise difficult season for the club offensively.

Mauricio Pochettino’s side absolutely must win this game and its likely they will do so rather comfortably.

Real Madrid are the team in form heading into El Clasico on Saturday but Barcelona are the favourites for a vital victory.

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Madrid have moved six points clear at the top of the Primera Division after a run of six straight wins and will head to Camp Nou full of confidence.

In contrast, Barcelona have taken just two points from their last two games after following up their goalless stalemate against nine-man Malaga with a 1-1 draw at Real Sociedad last weekend.

Luis Enrique's men, who have also lost to Celta Vigo and Alaves in LaLiga this season, know they cannot afford to drop points against their rivals if they are to retain their title. They have already been pushed out to 6/4 to be crowned champions, with Real now the 3/5 favourites.

That could all change if Barca can make the most of home advantage this weekend and they are 17/20 to win the first El Clasico of the campaign. 888sport are also offering odds on either team to win both of these fixtures this season and Barcelona are 4/1 to take six points off Real, who are 15/2 to win both matches and leave the Catalans needing plenty of help from other teams to have any chance of catching them.

Real have not won both El Clasicos in one LaLiga season since 2007/08 while Barcahave had more success in recent years, doing the double in 2008/09, 2009/10 and 2013/14.

The momentum is with Real at the moment, though, and they are 14/5 to add to Barca’s problems with victory this weekend or 49/50 to avoid defeat. Two early goals from Cristiano Ronaldo fired them to a 2-1 win at home to Sporting Gijon last weekend, although they rode their luck as the visitors missed a second-half penalty.

Ronaldo now has eight goals in his last four LaLiga games and he is 37/25 to be on target on Saturday, 53/10 to score the first goal or 24/5 to score in a Real win.

Arguably the best bet of the match is the 23/50 available for both teams to score. Incredibly, it is a bet which would have paid out in 19 of the last 20 meetings between these two teams, with Barcelona’s clean sheet in a 4-0 victory in the capital last November ending a run of both teams scoring which stretched back to May 2011.

Backing both teams to score and choosing the winner offers the chance for a bigger return, with Barca available at 41/20 and Real 19/4.

This is a fixture which usually guarantees goals, with at least three being scored in the last nine meetings, and over 2.5 goals on Saturday is priced at 12/25. For more ambitious punters, over 3.5 is an 11/9 option and has occurred at least once in El Clasico in each of the last six seasons.

Sporting Lisbon vs REAL MADRID

The situation for Sporting is simple: win or face elimination from the competition. After four games, the Portuguese side are five points behind Madrid and Jorge Jesus’ men are in dire need of a minor miracle to stand any chance of reaching the last-16.

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Sporting cannot afford to get drawn into the emotion of another Ronaldo return; the 18-time Primeira Liga winners must remain focused on the difficult task at hand...

Real’s 3-0 victory away at Atletico sent shockwaves across La Liga and Los Blancos will fancy their chances of claiming their first Spanish title since 2012. However, the European Cup will always remain the number one priority; such is their affinity with the competition.

If Madrid derby hat-trick hero Cristiano Ronaldo (8/9 anytime) and Gareth Bale (7/5) continue their fine form, this could be very one-sided...

TIP: Real Madrid to win @ 8/13

ARSENAL vs PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN

Arsene Wenger’s side are in fantastic form, avoiding defeat in 17 successive games in all competitions. The Gunners have hit the back of the net in all but one of their last 16 fixtures – and it would take a brave man to back against the hosts on Tuesday night.

Olivier Giroud netted a vital equaliser in Saturday’s draw with Manchester United and Arsenal should see plenty of chances in what could be a high-scoring contest...

The visitors have been scoring for fun so far this season and Edison Cavani (17/11 to net during 90 minutes) may be the main threat to Petr Cech’s goal if he can pass a late fitness test. The Uruguayan, who has netted 15 goals in 15 club appearances this campaign, was substituted off in PSG’s 4-0 victory over Rennes earlier this month and he hasn’t featured since.

With Cavani back, PSG will fancy their chances but they still have enough quality without the 29-year-old...

TIP: Both teams to score @ 17/24

Borussia Monchengladbach vs MANCHESTER CITY

It is do or die time for Borussia Monchengladbach. The Germans must beat Pep Guardiola’s side to stand any chance of reaching the knockout stages this season and it may be a step too far for the Bundesliga outfit.

Monchengladbach have won once in their last five home fixtures in all competitions and it is hard to see “That German Team” bucking the trend against last season’s semi-finalists...

Realistically, City only need a draw to secure their spot in the next round but the Blues will still have one eye on advancing to the last-16 as group winners.

With Sergio Aguero (EVS to score anytime) netting three goals in his last four appearances, the Argentina man could be one to look out for in this contest. After all, he netted a superb treble in the reverse fixture between the two sides back in September...

TIP: Manchester City to win @ 4/5

Celtic vs BARCELONA

Celtic always give it a go in front of their passionate home fans and Brendan Rodgers will have his troops fired up for the visit of European giants Barcelona.

The Bhoys manager may play on the emotion of Celtic’s recent victories over the Spanish side and the likes of Moussa Dembele and Scott Brown will have to be on top form to stand any chance of limiting Barcelona’s dominance in possession and on the scoreboard...

For me, the visitors could get a hatful – especially if they score in the first 15 minutes. On their day, Barcelona are still the best club side in European football and the attacking trident of Lionel Messi (3/5), Luis Suarez (5/8) and Neymar (8/9) will cause problems for Celtic’s suspect defence.

It won’t be a repeat of their 7-0 thrashing at Camp Nou but Luis Enrique’s men could add to their already impressive goals tally if they find their best form on Wednesday...

TIP: Barcelona to score in both halves @ 3/4

Odds are correct as of November 21^st: a £10 stake on this four-fold returns £87.26 – click here for more Football Betting Odds

No prizes for guessing what Harry Kane, Sergio Aguero, Luis Suarez, Robin van Persie, Dimitar Berbatov, Carlos Tevez and Didier Drogba have in common.

• Bet on Premier League Golden Boot winner

All of the above have won the Premier League top scorer prize this decade although these forwards managed this achievement by operating for a club who finished in the top four of the top flight in that respective season.

So while Liverpool haven’t typically been in the Champions League places recently, their near-miss during the 2013-14 season was powered by the goals of Barcelona-bound Suarez.

Indeed, you have to back to the 1999/2000 season to find the last time that a player outside the “top four” landed the top flight Golden Boot, with Kevin Phillips scoring in style for Sunderland that term.

Will the trend continue during the 2016/17 season?

Last season would suggest not. Harry Kane of third-placed Tottenham finished top of the pile with 25 goals, while Jamie Vardy of champions Leicester and Sergio Aguero of fourth-placed Manchester City were one behind him.

It naturally follows that if an individual player is managing such a substantial goal tally, then he’s likely to be operating for one of the better teams in the Premier League. Similarly, his goals are likely to be boosting the club in question as far as their results are concerned!

This time around, we have Mr Aguero having racked up three goals for City before the international break came around, even if an elbow to the jaw of Winston Reid saw the Argentine take a mini-break from playing duties.

We can assume (especially from looking at the odds) that the Citizens will be top-four material this season and that Aguero will be their main goal-getter providing that the injury-prone player gets enough game time.

Manchester United look like another team heavily likely to finish in the Champions League spots and they have the inimitable Zlatan Ibrahimovic taking free-kicks, scoring penalties and bagging from open play for them.

Ibrahimovic managed an incredible 38 goals in 31 Ligue 1 games for Paris Saint-Germain last season, something which meant the 34-year-old finished up on 113 goals in 122 appearances for the French giant.

Scoff all you like about the quality of the French league although it remains among the best in Europe and Zlatan has been prolific for respective clubs throughout an illustrious career.

Can any striker steal a march on Sergio and Zlatan?

There are a few candidates who might yet prevent the Premier League Golden Boot race from being a two-horse one. Diego Costa has started strongly for Chelsea despite the fact that the feisty forward could easily have received a red card during the Blues’ opener against West Ham and he dodged another bullet at Vicarage Road.

Costa will never deviate from playing on the edge and it might be something that Antonio Conte encourages, while the Spanish international is employed by a Premier League club with strong claims to a top-four spot in the English top flight this season.

With Eden Hazard, Willian and Nemanja Matic looking interested this season, Costa could be hitting the 20-goal mark as he did during the 2014/15 campaign although Michy Batshuayi arrived at Stamford Bridge for a big heap of cash and could yet usurp his older team-mate in attack.

Then there’s Harry Kane, much maligned in an England shirt after the sort of performances at Euro 2016 that had you calling for a nurse. Going from Three Lions hero to zero is nothing new however, with the Tottenham striker having delivered for his club during the previous two seasons.

It’s interesting to note that Kane struggled for form twelve months ago before a hat-trick at Bournemouth in October lit the blue touch paper, with strikers often needing that one inspirational game to get the confidence levels up and then they start firing regularly.

Kane clearly hasn’t turned into a bad or even average player overnight and the fact that he’s managed top flight tallies of 21 and then 25 in respective seasons illustrate he’s a class act. However, the prospect of a busy Champions League schedule combined with domestic duties might impact on his required game time.

Can Lukaku fire Everton into a top four spot?

After a recent 2-1 win at The Hawthorns, West Brom boss Tony Pulis remarked that Everton were a “top six” team and the Welshman is someone who knows a thing or two about the Premier League after managerial stints with Stoke City, Crystal Palace and the Baggies.

"When they are able to bring (Romelu) Lukaku, (Yannick) Bolasie and (Ashley) Williams on, there's a little bit of quality there," said Pulis.

"You've got to recognise with Everton, and they are going to spend more by the sound of things, they have a team, or are close to a team, which they think will finish in the top six. There's a difference, but you've got to make that up somehow".

Indeed, the Toffees made several notable signings during the summer transfer window although perhaps the best piece of business undertaken was Ronald Koeman managing to keep Lukaku at Goodison Park.

Everton fans had to endure the similar tones of last summer where Lukaku was linked to “top European clubs” and many of them still think that the Belgian’s first touch is mediocre, even if his finishing ability is unquestioned.

Eighteen goals last season represented a solid return and it shouldn’t worry Lukaku-backers that he failed to score before the international break. After all, his only start was against Stoke City (where he had a few chances) and his time with Belgium saw the forward score twice against Cyprus.

If Koeman is able to engineer a top-four finish this season, it wouldn’t be a huge surprise and would probably come about as a result of a tall muscular Belgian wearing his shooting boots for the majority of the campaign.

Will Jamie Vardy have another party?

The Leicester City striker has been nursing a wrist injury for the past couple of seasons, although Vardy nearly dislocated his own jaw in the 2016/17 opener at Hull after punching himself in the head after a bad miss.

The 29-year-old struck a happier figure two weeks later after finding the net against Swansea with a typical race through on goal and smart finish, with the former Fleetwood forward looking to replicate the 24 goals scored last season.

There are reasons to suggest that Vardy might not achieve this. Claudio Ranieri has changed the landscape by signing Islam Slimani and Ahmed Musa who will be looking to get among the goals and take the burden off their speedy team-mate.

This season’s Champions League campaign is vitally important for everyone connected to Leicester, not least as it might be the last time that the Foxes play in this competition for several seasons. Achieving a good Premier League position is important but it might play second fiddle if City can make headway against the European elite.

Similarly, it’s hard to see Riyad Mahrez emulating his 17 goals of last season. The Algerian will surely be rested for Premier League clashes this season, whereas last term saw Leicester simply needing to focus on domestic matters and it wasn’t as though Vardy and Mahrez were fielded too much in cup competitions either.

Liverpool players could share the wealth

Van Persie and Suarez were the last respective Arsenal and Liverpool players to shoot their way to the Premier League Golden Boot, with the two clubs struggling to find forwards with the same quality level since.

RVP was an absolute machine during his final campaign with the Gunners, racking 30 goals during the 2011/12 season before winning the same award with Manchester United a season later.

Similarly, Suarez was utterly brutal in 2013/14 to the extent that he managed 52 goals with striker partner Daniel Sturridge, although the latter has suffered badly with injury since that exciting adventure under Brendan Rodgers which nearly saw Liverpool crowned unlikely champions.

Odds of 33/1 illustrate how much Sturridge’s stock has fallen at Anfield, even if he can lay claim to still be the first-choice striker at the club providing he’s fit. However, Jurgen Klopp is wise not to depend on a player who is seemingly made of Weetabix and the German has a bunch of alternative goal-getters.

It should be remembered that Divock Origi is only 21-years-old, with the Belgian hoping to develop his game and follow in the footsteps of other Liverpool greats such as Suarez, Michael Owen and Robbie Fowler.

Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino and Philippe Coutinho are other players that can get themselves on the scoresheet regularly, with Firmino often fielded as a “false nine” although Liverpool’s top four aspirations can be bracketed more in the “hopeful” pigeonhole rather than the “confident” one.

Sanchez looking for another double-figure tally

Arsenal are the final team that can make the top four this season and Arsene Wenger has always been an attack-minded manager who has helped Thierry Henry and Robin van Persie scoop the Golden Boot award on multiple occasions.

The Gunners may well have the player who manages the most assists this term, with Mesut Ozil a wizard with the ball at his feet, especially if Olivier Giroud is operating in a centre forward position.

Despite receiving a fair share of criticism, the Frenchman has scored 16-14-16 in the past three seasons and will surely start racking up more game time after a suitable recovery from some impressive exploits at Euro 2016.

However, it could be the more dynamic Alexis Sanchez who provides the real cutting edge this term and he’s averaged nearly a goal per two Premier League appearances since arriving at the Emirates in the summer of 2014.

Sanchez managed to score in four consecutive top flight games during April 2016 and has all the attributes to be among the top scorers in the division, with the 27-year-old potentially reaching the peak of his powers and he’s surrounded by quality performers.

Granit Xhaka has arrived to be the henchman in midfield, with Santi Cazorla an underrated performer who can thread balls through the eye of the needle and we might even see Theo Walcott provide a willing foil so that Alexis can hit that magic 20-goal mark.

It’s still early days, but we can see which teams are set to go far this season, as well as those who look to crumble down the line. The table itself may not be overly revealing right now, but we’ve seen enough to gauge who the real title contenders are.

• Premier League Betting Odds

Manchester City - 5/4

Manchester City were always going to be a major threat this season. Last season they boasted one of the best sets of attacking players in the league, and they’ve since added some more. With Gabriel Jesus and Sergio Aguero as the striking partnership – as if Aguero wasn’t enough on his own – the South American stars are fed all game by the likes of Kevin de Bruyne and David Silva every game, as well as their other big-money stars.

As strong as the team looks on paper, there is quite a glaring weakness waiting to be exploited: their defence. Liverpool had all of the right tools to expose City’s defensive set-up and potentially run riot, but the sending off of Sadio Mane thwarted that opportunity. Nicolas Otamendi has been getting all of the fundamentals spot-on, but the often-used back-three has looked disjointed trying to play Pep Guardiola’s football in the Premier League.

The team is deep in most areas and full of top-class players, so they should go quite far in the Champions League, which they are 11/1 to win. However, Vincent Kompany’s injury will no-doubt strain the defence because, as talented as Danilo is, the replacement does look out of place when not at right-back or defensive midfield. Europe’s top domestic competition should see City make it to the quarter-finals, and possibly beyond, with the Citizens expected to be the highest placing English club in the competition at 47/20.

When it comes to the Premier League, Manchester City will naturally drop points due to the nature of the league, but defensive injuries will play a major part. Goalkeeper Ederson picked up a nasty facial injury against Liverpool but is expected to get right back between the posts, which is great for City as Claudio Bravo proved to be rather unreliable last season.

They’ve got some close competition just over the road, but Manchester City have the squad strength to challenge for the title right to the very end and are worthy of the 5/4 favourites price. This could be boosted even further if they finally sign Alexis Sanchez from Arsenal in the January transfer window. It will be interesting to see how they fare against full-strength title contenders down the line, but if they show up, they could well be a force to be reckoned with and well worthy of backing to win the division.

Manchester United - 11/4

Jose Mourinho’s men got off to an impeccable start to the season with three wins, three clean sheets, and ten goals scored. The signing of Romelu Lukaku added the brute force but mobile striking option that took the team to that next level offensively – with the big Belgian a great bet at 3/1 to win the golden boot this season – and transferring in Nemanja Matic from Chelsea looks to be one of the best signings of the summer already.

A back-four including Phil Jones at centre-back and Daley Blind or Matteo Darmian at left-back was never expected to last, and Stoke made them pay by simply bullying their way to two goals at home. Left-back will be a problem for the Red Devils all season, while a fit Chris Smalling or new signing Victor Lindelof present better options to accompany the erratic but clinical Eric Bailly at centre-back. Luckily Mourinho’s defensive tactics and the stalwart Serbian in midfield, Nemanja Matic, will help to keep David de Gea's workload down.

Hoping to go far in the Champions League, United are 11/1 to win but 5/2 to be eliminated in the quarter-finals. Mourinho dealt with his injury crisis last season and won the Europa League as well as two other trophies, but legitimately challenging for the Premier League as well as being expected to do well in the Champions League is a different matter altogether; another injury plague would hit the team hard this season.

Overall, United look to be the best team to challenge Manchester City for the Premier League crown this season, with 11/4 odds to back that up. They also have history on their side, with Mourinho never failing to win the league in his second season at any club that he’s managed. They’ll get Zlatan Ibrahimovic back in January for a bit of extra striking bite on the field as well as a mighty character in the dressing room on match day, which could kick this already very strong team into hyperspeed over the winter period. They’re a strong team with quite possibly the best title-winning manager in the league, so they’re well worth backing while they’re still second-favourites.

Chelsea - 9/2

There was word of turmoil with the defending champions throughout the transfer window, but even without their best player and top scorer of the last three seasons – Eden Hazard and Diego Costa, respectively – Chelsea have amassed three strong wins and an unfortunate loss.

With Costa’s situation grabbing most of the limelight, new striker Alvaro Morata has quietly pulled himself into the early golden boot running with three goals in four games, currently sitting at 6/1 to win the award. Despite losing Nemanja Matic, Chelsea have remained strong defensively at the back and in midfield. N’Golo Kante has been his usual world-class self, with the diminutive midfielder dominating midfield, and the wing-backs Victor Moses and Marcos Alonso have been as deadly as ever.

Chelsea are at rather long-odds of 17/1 to win the Champions League, but if Morata keeps knocking in the goals, it’s hard to see many teams not struggling against them. Elimination in the Round of Last 16 looks the most likely at 31/20 despite them being 5/4 favourites to win their group.

The team looks rather thin when considering the extra workload of the Champions League thrown in, but the late signings of Danny Drinkwater and Davide Zappacosta should help to carry the workload when the cup competitions add to the fixtures list. Despite winning the league last season, Chelsea don’t look to have made enough progress to compete with the Manchester clubs. But, this is the Premier League, so anything can happen; their 9/2 odds may prove to be a bargain for the dark-horse Chelsea.

Tottenham Hotspur - 12/1

Mauricio Pochettino’s team keeps edging closer and closer to a Premier League title, with them now seen as a shoo-in for a top-four place, but they just didn’t muster enough over the summer to be legitimate contenders just yet.

Centre-back Davinson Sanchez was an inspired signing; the Colombian should have been given the man of the match award in last year’s Europa League final against Manchester United because he was unplayable at times and will prove to be a great addition to Spurs’ already top-ranking defence.

Serge Aurier patched the not-so-gaping hole at right-back, and Fernando Llorente provides a trusted backup scoring option to back-to-back reigning golden boot winner Harry Kane – who is at a nice 3/1 to make it three years in a row as the league’s top scorer. There weren’t any real holes to patch in the Tottenham line-up, but depth was needed to improve their Champions League hopes.

Struggling at Wembley Stadium in recent years, it’s now their home, so hopefully Spurs will be familiar with the ground and pull-off some great performances in the Champions League this year. However, being third-favourites to win their group with 9/2 odds, the draw of Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund looks to be the killer. If they don’t progress to the knockout stages, an almost cameo appearance in the Europa League would be key if they wanted to make a surprise push for the Premier League, which they’re at long 12/1 odds to win.

Liverpool - 14/1

The front line of Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino, and Saido Mane presents possibly the best attacking trio in the Premier League, which will be enhanced even further if Philippe Coutinho returns to play just behind the striker. But looking back from there, the team looks less and less like title contenders.

The defence is meek, to say the least, and their goalkeeping tandem doesn’t belong anywhere near a team that hopes to challenge for the top-six, let alone the title. The middle of midfield, without Coutinho, lacks an attacking spark, but Emre Can has performed admirably to try to push some offence while being solid in-front of the defence. If Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is granted his wish, he could provide the forward-thinking play from further back in the middle of the park, but with Can playing so well and Henderson wearing the captain’s armband, it’s hard to see him getting a starting role when both Coutinho and Mane are available.

Escape from their Champions League group looks likely, but the Reds are expected to exit the competition in the following round with odds of 6/4. To cause a real upset in the Premier League, Liverpool will have to overcome 14/1 odds, but an early exit from Europe would help them stay fresh while their competitors tire. Right now, however, Liverpool don’t look like a contender that should be backed in this title race.

We’re only a small segment of our way through the season, and anything can happen in the Premier League, but as it stands, the title race looks to be the Battle of the Manchesters, with dark horses from London potentially popping up down the line.