Wee Gamble

If you fancy a wee gamble before the new premiership starts, I'm gonna stick my reputation on the line and make a few recommendations.

Firstly, two teams I think will get relegated are Reading and Man City. Firstly Reading, Coppell has come out and said that he hasn't been too active in the transfer market because he feels that would be unfair on the lads who had done so well for him last season. This is an admirable and deeply loyal stance to take, but it could prove disasterous. It has been said on numerous occasions that if you stand still in the Premier League, you're going backwards. Reading over-acheived last season and I think it will be too much for them this year. Man City on the other hand are in the opposite situation, Sven has gone bananas making summer signings and they are all second-rate foreign players that he doesn't seem to know much about himself. I think this is a bad idea. They will struggle to gel and the team will pay the price for lack of British players.

Reading and Man City are both 5/1 for the drop with Paddy Power.

Also, I think a couple of good bets for the Premier League's top scorer are Robin van Persie and Michael Owen. Arsenal are going to be relying Van Persie heavily for goals next season after Henry's departure. I don't really like him as a player, but I think he has what it takes to step up and deliver for Arsenal. He's looked good in pre-season so far and scored a fantastic goal against Inter in the Emirates Cup last week. Michael Owen is back from injury and has said himself that he feels as if he's been physically reborn after months out with injury. He will always score goals, and if he strikes up a good partnership with Mark Viduka he could do very well indeed.

Robin van Persie and Michael Owen are both 14/1 to be top scorer with Paddy Power.