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Right Said Fred: Talking betting with Betfred boss Fred Done

Pep Guardiola has a reputation as a coach who puts out a team full of attacking flair that’s drilled to never give the ball away and if they do, get it back again asap!

As you would expect, the Premier League champions are the top scorers with 72 goals so far this season.

That’s four more than my team, likely runners-up United, who ended up being the reluctant ‘king makers’ with our weakened team predictably going down to Leicester on Tuesday at Old Trafford.

Emphasising City’s attacking prowess they have notched 17 more league goals in 35 matches than fellow Champions League finalists Chelsea.

But for me the biggest difference has been Guardiola’s master stroke ending City’s reputation of having a soft centre following the departure of defensive kingpin Vincent Kompany. Step forward world class defender Ruben Dias brought in for what has turned out to be a bargain £64m from Benfica.

The Portuguese international’s determination, consistency and attitude has been key to this highly successful season. You only need to check out the goals conceded column – and City have let in 26, compared with United’s 38. No wonder Betfred have Dias as 6/4 second favourite to be PFA player of the year behind United’s Bruno Fernandes at 11/8 with Harry Kane a 5/1 shot.

I paid out back in March on City being champions - and Betfred have the Blues 4/6 to win the Premier League again next season with Chelsea at 5/1 while United and Liverpool are 6/1 shots and Spurs and Leicester at 40/1.

l Daryl Clark, fresh from playing a starring role as Warrington secured a fourth consecutive Challenge Cup semi-final berth, is a tempting 18/1 with us to score first when limited crowds return to the Betfred Super League on Monday, with the Wire hosting Huddersfield. Clark scored twice in the 16-6 triumph against the Catalans – and the Wolves who play Castleford in the last four ties are second favourites at 11/4 to win the Betfred  Challenge Cup at Wembley on July 17.

Betfred have St Helens 11/8 favourites to be outright winners, with Hull FC 3/1, while Cas are 5/1 shots.

Steve Price played Josh Thewlis at full back against the Catalans and the Oldham-born 19-year-old, who cut his teeth with Waterhead Warriors before joining the Warrington Academy, earned the praise of the coach.

He described Josh as an exciting young player who is always willing to listen and learn.

That’s music to my ears that a top club such as the Wire are bringing through young local talent as well as attracting big-name overseas players.

Price reckons Josh is a ‘good kid’ with a very bright future. I’m hoping he’s right – and remember the fans just love a local hero!

With a limited crowd back, the  Wolves will be looking to at least keep pace with unbeaten Saints and Wigan in the televised clash against Giants.

Betfred have Wire 3/10 to win with Huddersfield at 11/4.  Greg Inglis, who has made a significant impact in his two starts, is 10/1 to score first, while Josh Charnley is 9/1 for the opener.

Salford will need to be at their best as they bid to revive their season with a very tough trip to top of the table Saints on Monday. Speedy winger Regan  Grace took all the headlines for his outstanding hat-trick in the St Helens 23-18 defeat of the Huddersfield Giants in the Betfred Challenge Cup quarter-final.

l Meanwhile my congratulations to two Gers fans who were agreed on one very important matter…that Rangers would be Scottish Premiership champs.

Rather than just talk about Steven Gerrard’s efforts to end the Celtic monopoly and lead Rangers to their first league title in ten years, Stuart Pearson and Paul Beattie slapped on a £50 wager at Betfred.

That joint bet was placed last summer when the odds were 6/5 which the life-long pals from Glasgow craftily boosted by also correctly predicting that across the border Norwich at 5/1 and 10/1 Hull would finish top of the pile in the Championship and League One.

That treble paid out a whopping £7,260 which has got them checking out the holiday brochures. Enjoy your sunshine breaks fellas that remember cost you a combined £50.                   

Finally the odds on Andy Burnham becoming the next Prime Minister after Boris Johnson have been more than halved at Betfred over the last week.

Burnham was previously as big as 66/1 to pick up the keys for Number 10.

But now, with Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer facing criticism both inside and outside the party after the Hartlepool by-election defeat and subsequent fall-out, he’s 25/1 to succeed Johnson.

Burnham has also been heavily-backed at Betfred to be the next Labour leader. The 51-year-old, who convincingly won a second term as Mayor of Greater Manchester at the weekend, is favourite at 3/1 (from 8/1) to replace Starmer at the head of the party.

Burnham – who would need to become an MP again to make a leadership bid – became embroiled in the row over Sir Keir’s shake-up of the party when he said he ‘could not support’ the decision to remove Ashton-under-Lyne MP and deputy leader Angela Rayner from her role as campaign co-ordinator.

Betfred have Rayner 8/1 to be the next leader, just behind shadow foreign secretary Lisa Nandy as the 7/1 second-favourite.

To be next PM after Boris Johnson, Rishi Sunak is favourite at 11/4 – while we have Starmer at 5/1, Michael Gove 8/1, and Jeremy Hunt 12/1. Health secretary Matt Hancock is available at 33/1.

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