Today’s gossip rumours and damned lies

Sir Alex Ferguson is still refusing to rule out a move for Barcelona flop Thierry Henry, despite his comments in April that “Arsenal are the only English club” for him. Dimitar Berbatov still appears a more likely arrival, so perhaps the Thierry talk is Ferguson’s way of testing Spurs’ resistance.

Elsewhere in transferland…

Didier Drogba to stay
After spending a few weeks mulling things over while desperately waiting for phone calls from Barcelona and Milan, Drogba has kindly decided that it would be nice to continue playing for the club who pay his wages.

The Spoiler Truth-o-meter: Nobody wants him so he has no choice

Justin Hoyte to Middlesbrough
Boro sent their chief international scout to

It’s a sad day for open-top bus manufacturers

Oh great, say those middle class enough to support Man United, the Scots have ruined everything. And they’re right. It was all looking so brilliant a couple of weeks ago - the Premier League was pretty much in the bag, things looked promising for Europe - hence the lion’s share of United fans were busy booking their flights up to Manchester to enjoy a good old fashioned open top bus street party.

But no.

… according to Wikipedia

[click image to enlarge ridiculously small text]

If I suddenly gained the ability to travel into the future, one of my first acts would be to inform Wikipedia readers of the result of future games. A time/ space continuum-shattering Glasgow Rangers fan has obviously had the same idea, and has kindly saved us the effort of watching tomorrow night’s UEFA Cup Final:

“A battling performance from Zenit St Petersburg proved to not be enough in the UEFA cup Final against a much more superior Glasgow Rangers side on May 14th 2008 when Zenit succumed to a 2-1 defeat at the City Of Manchester Stadium, goals from Jean Claude Darcheville and Barry Ferguson on the 21st and 65th minute proved to be enough for the teddy bears to secure their first European trophy in 36 years.”

If you have faith in the Scottish Nostradamus, have a punt using the best odds available on the interweb here.

The best sports on the telebox tonight

Despite holding Fiorentina to a goalless draw at Ibrox last week, Rangers go into tonight’s UEFA Cup semi-final second leg as huge underdogs. Can they pull off a surprise in Italy? Will we ever find out who threw out my sandwich from the fridge at Spoiler Towers earlier this week? So many crucial questions going unanswered!

To have a punt on tonight’s game using the best odds available on the net, visit the oddschicken.

Snooker
World Championship semi-finals (BBC2, 7pm)

Blue Square Premier Play-off semi-final
Exeter City/ Torquay Utd (Setanta Sports 1, 7.45pm)

UEFA Cup semi-final seconnd leg
Fiorentina/ Rangers (ITV4, 7.45pm)

The best sports on the telebox tonight

After the intense lack of excitement last night, lets hope Scotland’s second best team can pull off some magic in Europe’s second favourite cup competition. The bookies fancy Fiorentina to take an away victory in tonight’s first leg, so take a look at the odds here and cash in on Scottish misfortune.

Snooker
World Championship (BBC2, 7pm)

UEFA Cup semi-final first leg
Rangers/ Fiorentina (ITV4, 7pm)

The best sports on the telebox tonight

Rangers may be running away with the Scottish Premier League , but it looks as if their Glasgow rivals will be smiling tonight. Celtic are 13/10 favourites to take three points tonight, and you can back them using the best odds available on our oddschicken.

And if you’re looking for something to get you to sleep after the excitement of the Old Firm Derby, our friends in Major League baseball are here to help you out.

Scottish Premier League
Celtic/ Rangers (Setanta Sports 1, 7.45pm) - bet here

Major League Baseball
Arizona/ San Francisco (NASN, 8.45pm) - bet here

The best sports on the telebox tonight

Eldrick Woods, known as ‘Tiger’ to friends and fans, is on such unstoppable form that he could conceivably win all four majors this summer. Main competitor Phil Mickelson has backed him on that one, and the folk at Paddy Power are so resigned to his Augusta victory that they are doing everything they can to make you bet against him (if you back Mickelson at 11/1, for example, and Woods wins by five or more shots, you’ll get your money back).

UEFA Cup quarter-final first leg
Sporting/ Rangers (ITV4, 7.45pm)

US Masters Golf
Augusta, Georgia, Day One (BBC2, 9pm)

The best sports on the telebox tonight

Yes, all the English teams have been dismissed from Europe’s least loves competition, but north of the border, hopes are very much alive for Rangers to make the UEFA Cup semi-finals. They are 11/10 favourites - not a bad punt considering they have lost just one game in the last 25.

UEFA Cup Quarter-final First Leg
Rangers/ Sporting (ITV4, 7.45pm)

Tennis
Miami ATP Masters (Sky Sports Xtra, 8pm)

Setanta Shield Final
Aldershot/ Rushden & Diamonds (Setanta Sports 1, 7.30pm)

The best sports on the telebox tonight

The odds on a Barcelona win in the Copa Del Rey tonight are a measly 1/2, but you may find a little more value from Blue Square who are offering a more plausible evens on Messi and co winning the competition outright. Elsewhere, you can get an impressive 12/1 on Middlesbrough to go through to the FA Cup quarters on penalties tonight, and 9/2 on an upset when Rangers visit Hearts. Hey, it could happen…

Scottish Premier League
Hearts/ Rangers (Setanta Sports 1, 7.45pm)

FA Cup fifth Round Replay
Middlesbrough/ Sheffield Utd (BBC1, 8.05pm) - betting guide and statistics here

Copa Del Rey Semi-Final First Leg
Barcelona/ Valencia (Sky Sports 1, 9pm)

The best sports programming on the telebox tonight

The quest for Avram Grant’s most likely source of silverware continues tonight, as Chelsea host the Toffees in the Carling Cup. Click here to see