Football Betting: Midweek preview

Manchester United and Chelsea can steal Arsenal's thunder tonight ahead of Grand Slam Sunday by going top and drawing level on points with the Gunners respectively with crucial league wins. United host beleaguered Bolton and with first place in the Premier League at stake, they will not make the same mistake as Arsenal did against Middlesbrough on Saturday, against Gary Megson's side. Bolton are a hard team to break down and even managed to beat United in the home fixture earlier this season, but the Trotters are on a downward spiral of four defeats and two draws from their last six encounters - the last of which was a 1-0 reverse against ten-man Wigan. The champions, meanwhile, are on an upward curve. Their FA Cup loss to Portsmouth aside, United's last eight matches have produced six wins and a draw. They may have only scrambled a 1-0 win against Derby and they are still without the injured Edwin van der Sar, but Bolton can trump that misfortune with bad news of their own: their cat, Jussi Jaaskelainen, is out for the rest of the season. Nonetheless, if relegation-embattled Bolton frustrate United, whose last three matches have ended 1-0, the goal or goals may well not come until late on. Paddy Power's 11/4 about United taking the points in the second half makes the most appeal, while goal machine Ronaldo is worth backing as first goalscorer at 3/1. He's scored first in two of his last three starts and Paddy Power are offering a refund on all losing first/last goalscorer, scorecast and correct score bets if the last goal in the game is a header. Also on Wednesday, Tottenham host Chelsea in a London derby, where they will do Arsenal a favour if they repeat the feats of the Carling Cup final. The problem is Chelsea have won four of their last five and will draw level with the Gunners with a win at White Hart Lane, while Spurs are effectively rudderless now that they have nothing to play for this season. That aimlessness was in full evidence on Sunday when they capitulated against Manchester City and they will certainly not be up for this match in the same way that vengeful Chelsea will be on Wednesday. With Carling Cup revenge and their title hopes revived, 6/5 represents great value to draw level with Sunday's opponents in the league. Verdict: 2pts Ronaldo first goalscorer @ 3/1 (Paddy Power); 2pts HT/FT Draw/United @ 11/4(Paddy Power); 3pts Chelsea to bt Tottenham @ 6/5 (Paddy Power).