Predictions

Calzaghe v Hopkins

I expect Calzaghe to beat Hopkins tonight. Hopkins great defensive skills should prevent a knockout, but Calzaghe's superior workrate should ensure a comfortable points victory.

If Hopkins wins, he would love a big money rematch with Roy Jones. Jones beat him on points in 1993 (!) but has looked a spent force in recent fights, lacking the lightning reflexes he displayed at the height of his career. Calzaghe has talked about one more fight if he wins, but I think he should retire after this. He has nothing left to prove after his standout wins against Lacy & Kessler, & could retire undefeated.

World Snooker

I’m tipping Mark Selby to win. ‘The Jester’ has already won two tournaments this year, & is a tough competitor- in the Masters he won three matches in final frame deciders. On the other side of the draw, Ronnie O’Sullivan is as always the favourite with the bookmakers, but I think he could be undone by his fragile temperament.

UCL

It's Groundhog Day in the semis of the Uefa Champions League with Liverpool playing Chelsea for the third time in four years. The force always seem to be with the Reds in Europe, although Chelsea & Avram Grant will be desperate to reach the final for the first time. Liverpool to go through by the odd goal.

Barcelona will have Messi & Deco back in the squad for the Man Utd game. Messi came on as as sub in the derby today(0-0). Man U’s squad & strength in depth look formidable on paper, but I reckon Barca will be inspired by playing what is arguably the best team in the world at the moment. Barca on away goals.

Big Four back on form

Premiership round-up:

Arsenal eventually sneaked a 1-0 win over a dogged Man City. Arsenal have been guilty in the past of over-passing.They still show signs of suffering from it this season, going for the extra pass & trying to walk the ball into the net, when a shot on a goal or even (shock horror) a punt into the box might be a better option.

So Chelsea are back on top, and will surely will be difficult to dislodge. Man United's first win, over Spurs, showed how talk of a crisis after 3 games was a nonsense. They found themselves in 19th place on Saturday, but with most teams having played a game more, and the three points from Sunday lifted them to 10th.

Liverpool's strength of squad looks formidable, they have quality in depth, especially in midfield & the strikers.

Time for my relegation tips. I think all the newly-promoted teams will go straight back down. Derby look doomed after losing their home 'six-pointer' with Birmingham, but the Brummie Blues will join them in the Champioship next year. Sunderland, despite Keano's motivating powers, do not appear to have enough quality in their squad either.

I had been quite excited by the prospect of Five's live Serie A coverage (Sundays from 1.30). The first of this new series aired on Sunday (Aug 27). They made much in the build-up of how Serie A, historically famed for its mean defences, last season actually had more total goals scored than any of the other big Euro leagues (Prem, La Liga, Bundesliga or Le Championnat). The televised game was the champs, Inter, at home to Udinese. In the event the games was a rather lacklustre 1-1 draw. However, Inter had some key players, like Crespo & Viera, out injured. If they had played, maybe it would have been a better spectacle. If I'm allowed to make a sexist comment, the studio coverage did have the attraction of the beautiful co-presenter, Laura Esposto, though.

Blue Moon

Only 3 games played, so let's not get carried away, but Man City are top. P3, W3, & no goals conceded. I can't resist the opportunuty to be smug, & to remind readers that I tipped City as my dark horses on Aug 6th. Of course, the old maxim about the table not showing anything meaningful until Xmas, has to be borne in mind. However, I doubt whether Man U's 2 points from 3 games was part of the Glazers' plan for world domination. Man U dominated possesion, but couldn't stick any of their chances away. Sven must secretly be delighted to have sneaked a win over Fergie. United have now made their worst start since 1992-3 (P3 Pts 1: Sheff U, A, 1-2; Everton, H, 0-3; Ipswich, H, 1-1). The Man U-haters should enjoy their schadenfreude now, with the calibre of players available in their squad, they will surely soon start winning. Despite that bad start in '92 they ended up winning the innaugural Premiership by 10 pts from the Villa. My barber reckons that next time I get my grade 3 (probably in 5-6 weeks) Utd will be top, I have to disagree. Surely, at least one of the other 'Big Four' clubs will still be above them.

Chelsea must be chuffed with the point they got at Anfield, Malouda appeared just to collide accidentally with Finnan for the (equalising) penalty. Torres looked sharp for the Reds, & showed great pace & skill for his opener. Arsenal showed once again they can be ratled by teams who take a 'robust' approach & who try to deny then time & space for their passing game.

Saturday sees the first 'six-pointer' of the season, as 2nd bottom Derby host 3rd-bottom Birmingham. Both teams need to make some astute buys to avoid the drop.