Chelsea Captain John Terry believes that his side’s backlog of fixtures could work in their favour as they aim to secure qualification for next year’s Champions League and win this season’s Europa League and FA Cup.

Having defeated Manchester United to reach the FA Cup semi-final, Terry’s team now face at least seven more games in April even if they fail to progress beyond Rubin Kazan in the Europa League but he believes that the club have a strong enough squad to cope with the congestion.

“This is when the strength and depth of our squad will come into play. We, as players, have to be prepared for what is coming up,” he said to Premier League betting news pundits.

Having won the Champions League and FA Cup last season whilst attempting to maintain their league form, Chelsea know better than most how to cope with the demands of competing for silverware at the business end of the season, and Terry is confident that last year’s experiences will help his side this time round.

“We are used to competing on several fronts at this stage in the season and if results go the right way when the fixtures are close together like this, it can be fantastic for building momentum,” he said. “If we can put a run together in all competitions, we could be in a couple of finals and finish in a good position in the League.”

Whilst last season ended in glory for the Blues, it is difficult to see lightning striking twice and a couple of injuries to key players could see their season come off the rails.

If it was not for their Champions League win last season, then Terry’s men would not have qualified for the competition this time round and, if they allow themselves to focus on silverware rather than picking up league points again this year, then Tottenham and Arsenal look a safer bet on football to finish well in the league.

Pepe Reina believes the Liverpool board must back manager, Brendan Rodgers, in the transfer market if he is to have any chance of returning the club to their previous glories.

Rodgers arrived at Anfield in the summer, following a difficult couple of seasons under both Kenny Dalglish and Roy Hodgson, in which they repeatedly failed to live up to the expectations of fans who bet on football.

The Northern Irishman came to the club with a reputation for playing entertaining and attacking football and immediately set about stamping his mark on the side.

The dramatic change in tactics took a while to settle, but things have started to look up in recent months, especially with the January signing of Daniel Sturridge and they are now regarded as one of the most exciting teams in the Premier League by football betting news pundits.

However, the Reds admittedly have a long way to go before they can be seen as genuine title contenders and still need to strengthen in a number of key areas of their squad.

Having played for the club for the best part of a decade, Reina has seen a number of changes at Anfield but believes the future’s bright on Merseyside, as long as the board are prepared to back Rodgers’ in the transfer market.

“This year has been important for us in terms of getting to know what the manager wants and develop the ideas,” the Spaniard said. “Then we have to be ready for the very first game of next season to challenge.

“Obviously we will need some help from the board but I think the basis is well settled. We know the ideas and philosophies of the manager. It is getting better and better so hopefully we will be ready to compete,” he added.

The big talk that surrounded Swansea’s trip to Everton last weekend was not whether or not the Swans could claim three points at Goodison Park, but if Spain manager Vicente del Bosque was actually in attendance.

It turns out he was, although he’s a little too late to watch Mikel Arteta in a blue shirt after the midfielder joined Arsenal two summers ago. No, del Bosque wasn’t arriving late for the Arteta show but instead keeping a keen eye on Swansea’s Michu – the striker who is making Premier League defenders look like amateurs.

Having signed from Rayo Vallecano in July for a humble £2m, Michu has set English football alight with 16 goals in all competitions already this season. His goals have helped earn Swansea 23 of their 30 league points, a semi-final berth in the Capital One Cup and the chance to defy the FA Cup Betting odds with a third round replay away at Arsenal.

He is the joint-third top scorer in the Premier League, with only Robin van Persie (£22m) and Luis Suarez (£22.7m) ahead of him. The value for money manager Brian Laudrup has got for this 26-year-old predator is astounding and now there is real speculation among football betting tips that he may be heading back to Spain.

For while del Bosque looks set to hand Michu a first international cap, there are rumours Real Madrid – who struggle to find the net without starlet Cristiano Ronaldo – are trailing the striker. Whether or not Swansea can keep their main star this January is up for debate in the betting world, but there appears genuine evidence that Michu will earn a place in the Spain squad for their friendly with Uruguay next month.

For why would del Bosque take time out to travel to Merseyside if he was not set on brining Michu into the Spanish set-up? With his usual collaboration of Barcelona and Real Madrid stars embroiled in Champions League action this spring, Michu has a chance to prove his worth to the team.

Should he prove a success for Spain, Swansea fans may have to accept he will move on to pastures new as the talented striker continues to turn heads across Europe.

The busy Christmas period is often used as the ultimate test of where a team will finish in the Premier League. With four fixtures in the space of a fortnight this festive time can make or break seasons, propelling teams away from relegation while others drop out of the title race.

One team that needs a good Christmas run is West Brom, who have now not scored in their last three games. This includes two home ties, against Stoke and West Ham, and comes in stark contrast with their November form where the Baggies won four on the bounce, scoring eight goals, to rise up to third in the table.

After their 0-0 result with West Ham at the weekend, boss Steve Clarke conceded his side should have done more going forward.

“If you look at the season as a whole we have done OK. Sometimes you have to draw games. Today there were not many chances,” he told BBC Sport.

Indeed, Baggies fans were rightly happy their three-game losing streak came to an end at the Hawthorns; yet are still frustrated with the lack of chances created in a dull and tepid encounter.

Neither Shane Long nor Peter Odemwingie did much in front of goal and although substitute Romelu Lukaku looked excitable for the final 15 minutes, he failed to pose a serious threat on Jussi Jaaskelainen’s goal.
Granted, Zoltan Gera came close as did James Morrison – who rattled the frame of the goal – but West Brom’s strikers remained quiet.

With fixtures against Norwich and QPR coming up over this festive period the Baggies must find their shooting boots if they are to keep up with the European pack.
If not, they could be staring at a bleak January in mid-table: a disappointing outcome to a scintillating start to the season.

Ahead of Leeds v Chelsea this week don’t forget to check out the latest Capital One Cup odds, as well as the latest news, tips, advice, expert opinion and Betfair Football In-play .

Niall Quinn believes Liverpool will need to sign a striker in January if they’re to have any chance of getting the best out of Luis Suarez.

Following the injury to Fabio Borini and the loaning out of Andy Carroll, Suarez is the Reds only recognised fit striker and has been forced to play up front on his own for most of the campaign.

This has brought Brendan Rodgers’ side some success, with the 25-year-old already netting 13 times in all competitions this term.

However, what is perhaps more worrying for the Anfield boss is that this is over half of his side’s goals, with Jonjo Shelvey the next highest on four. The latest sport betting suggests punters doubt the Reds’ chances of piercing the top four this season without January investment in a frontman.

Despite his undoubted talent Suarez, has often found it hard to get into games when the opposition has isolated him, leading to calls for the Reds to bring in a new forward in the January transfer window.

This was in evidence during Sunday’s goalless draw away at Swansea, where the Uruguayan was unable to make an impact on the game after being expertly marshalled by the Welsh side’s rearguard.

Quinn believes the striker’s performance was the perfect example of why he needs someone to partner him in attack, otherwise the Irishman thinks they’ll struggle to string positive live scores consistently through this season.

“If ever there was a day to understand that Luis Suarez needed somebody up there to give him a hand, today was the day,” he said. “They needed something different, another striker to come on and give him a hand, play a different formation.

“Swansea got to grips with it really well and he worked ever so hard, as he always does, but time and time again he came up against a strong stone-wall defence.”

After making stuttering starts to the new season, both Manchester clubs finally looked the real deal over the weekend – and the rest of the Premier League, and particularly Chelsea, should be worried.

Both City and United had been struggling to hit the heights of last season, with some indifferent results and scores, before they took on north-east duo Sunderland and Newcastle respectively. But that all changed with comprehensive 3-0 victories in favour of the two title contenders.

And now it looks like Sir Alex Ferguson and Roberto Mancini’s powerhouses have shown their true colours and are ready to once again go head-to-head for the Barclays premier League crown.

Defending champions City had fallen below the standards they had set last term in the opening months and, even though they had remained unbeaten in the league, draws at Liverpool and Stoke could easily have been defeats while narrow wins over Southampton and Fulham had been secured by a goal late in each game.

Of course, it is often said that the top teams grind out results when not playing at their best and certainly there was an air of that about Mancini’s side in the early weeks, with several gears still to find.

The lucky draw in the Champions League at home to an impressive Borussia Dortmund side may well have served as a wake-up call, though, because against Sunderland they dominated play, swarming all over their opponents with the likes of David Silva, Carlos Tevez and James Milner particularly catching the eye.

City will know, however, that United look set to pose a real threat in the title race over the course of the season and appear to be close to their self-assured best now as well.

Last season’s runners-up had lost twice already this term going into the clash at St James’ Park and were expected to be given another tough afternoon by the Magpies. It failed to materialise as Ferguson’s side took the game to Newcastle and were 2-0 up inside half an hour, controlling play and generally running Alan Pardew’s side ragged.

It may have taken until October, but both Manchester clubs appear to have woken up after slow starts and will now have early pacesetters Chelsea firmly in their sights.

Daniel Agger’s proposed move to Manchester City has split Liverpool fans, with some claiming that the sale would be a huge step back in the squad’s development, while others argue no one is too big to be sold.

Agger, who made 34 appearances for Liverpool last season, is rumoured to be on the verge of signing for Premier League champions, City. An offer of £20m is reportedly tabled, and the Reds should seriously consider this bid for a player who will only decrease in value in years to come.

City would be able to offer Agger European football; the side are currently 36/5 third favourites in the Champions League betting pages, behind Real Madrid and Barcelona.

For Agger has proven he is not replaceable at Anfield. The centre-back has had his fair share of injuries and played just 21 games two seasons ago. His fitness levels may have improved since then, but at 27 years-of-age, the Dane will soon start to feel the effects of past hurts.

The predicament Liverpool manager, Brendan Rodgers, has is that £20m is a lot of money for a defender with a history of injury. Any sale would free up valuable funds for Rodgers to strengthen his squad, and, although he must bring in a replacement should Agger move on, Rodgers is shrewd enough to find a replica for far cheaper.

Reds fans should not be concerned, therefore, of losing their centre-half. Fellow defenders, Jamie Carragher and Martin Skrtel, are expected to continue their top-class levels of performance into yet another season, and bar a freak injury crisis, Liverpool should be in safe hands at the back this season.

As for City, Agger would only serve as a replacement for the ageing Kolo Toure. For Joleon Lescott and Vincent Kompany have forged a solid partnership over the past season, and the Dane can only expect to admire them from the subs bench if his big-money move does come off.

Liverpool are off to Scotland for their next competitive outing. The side will play Hearts in the Europa League.

The draw for the third qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League group stage has been made in Nyon, with Celtic set a tricky task to progress to Europe’s elite club competition.

In the round for champions, the Glasgow club will face either HJK Helsinki or KR Reykjavik. They will most probably play Helsinki, who beat KR 7-0 in the first leg; Neil Lennon’s side has a major burden to carry to Finland.

Celtic are 379/1 to win the Champions League, according to the Betfair betting website, odds they share with Club Bruges.

The financial survival of Celtic is not the only thing that rests on their progression in the Champions League. Scottish football has taken such a huge blow from the Rangers debacle that the league is in danger of falling into obscurity altogether.

The SFL has already lost its right to a guaranteed group stage place for its champion, and now has the real dilemma of slipping into the fourth tier of Europe’s elite leagues.

For years the status of the SFL has been regarded as just below Europe’s top divisions of the Premier League, Bundesliga, and La Liga. They were nicely settled with Holland’s Eredivise and the French Ligue 1.

But thanks to a series of dismal runs in the Champions League, the SFL’s current UEFA coefficient ranking is 18th, and will fall to 27th in 2013. This puts Celtic behind clubs from Israel, Bulgaria, and Belarus in the right to play in the group stage.

In order to improve one’s UEFA coefficient, a good run in the Champions League is needed.

This is why Celtic’s task to qualify is so important for Scottish football. Top players will be less inclined to join a league with no European prospects at hand, damaging both Celtic and a host of clubs battling hard just to stay afloat.

For more information on England’s preeminent football competition, visit the Premier League odds page on Betfair.

Brazil’s star-studded side takes on Egypt in Cardiff. They will kick off their latest attempt to win their Holy Grail of Olympic footballing gold on Thursday. The betting odds for the game have Brazil as favorites. The odds have Brazil (1/5), while Egypt (18).

Several promising players is also boasted by Egypt’s roster, including attacking midfielder Mohamed Salah, who signed for Swiss side Basel but is uncertain to start against Brazil due to a shoulder injury and Fiorentina’s newly-signed defender Ahmed Hegazy.

Brazil, the most successful nation in football history has won an unrivalled five World Cups and no fewer than eight South American continental championships since 1916. The gold medal has remained stubbornly elusive for a nation which is often regarded as the spiritual guardians of the Beautiful Game, despite repeated attempts at Olympic glory.

Argentina‘s failure to qualify for London has boosted Brazil’s chances of finally landing the Olympic crown, as the absence which a major barrier from their path to the August 11 final at Wembley.

Mexico and South Korea begin the battle for the top of Group B on Thursday and the men’s football event at the 2012 London Olympics will kick off. The match will be held one day prior to the much awaited opening ceremony.

On August 1, the group stage of the tournament is set to end and on August 11, the Gold Medal matches to be played. Brazil enters the London Games ready to put an end to that drought, as they have waited a long time for an Olympic gold medal in men’s football. Coach Mano Menezes and his players know there are high expectations. Brazil is playing with a nearly full-strength squad. Many of the players at the Olympics will also likely be in the 2014 team trying to win the World Cup at home.

Since Menezes took over the national team after the 2010 World Cup, it will be the second significant competition Brazil is playing under him. Prompting heavy criticism from fans and local media and putting his command in doubt, when his team was eliminated from the quarterfinals of the Copa America in Argentina in 2011. He currently thinks that Brazil has a better chance of succeeding in its quest for the elusive gold medal. He thinks the situation is different now.

Menezes said that it is huge for Brazilian fans; it’s a dream to get this gold medal. It is the only title they are missing. He added that fans feel the team is capable of getting this gold medal, but they don’t see Brazil as favorites.

Having enjoyed two successful loan spells at Everton, the Goodison Park faithful are desperate to see the return of American playmaker, Landon Donovan, this summer.

The LA Galaxy star has become a favourite with the Everton supporters, and manager, David Moyes, is clearly a fan of the creative attacker, who has already proven he can cut it in the Premier League. Fans betting at Bet Victor have already weighed in on the discussion online.

One man who is certainly an admirer of Donovan is Toffees skipper, Phil Neville, and the former Manchester United man has revealed that he has tried to lure the United States international back to the club.

He told Sports Illustrated: “If there is a chance, I make sure that I try [to tempt him to Everton] every time I speak to him.

“That’s the first thing I say to him. Toward the end of his spell, back in January, I even tried to kidnap him for a while and keep him in England.

“I’m telling the truth here when I say the last two times he’s been over he’s totally transformed our season.”

If Everton could lure Donovan on a more permanent basis, the American would top the fine performances he has already produced for the Merseyside outfit, as he would settle and get used to the playing styles of those around him.

Combined with Croatian striker, Nikica Jelavic, the Toffees could have some serious firepower in attack, and give Moyes something to work with in the Premier League, next season, if the Scot decides to turn down a potential move to Tottenham Hotspur, this summer.

Find great odds at Bet Victor, this summer.