The 1.30pm kick off sees Spurs face a Manchester City side yet to drop a point in the league at home, but who have lost their last two home games in all competitions; Manchester United in the FA Cup and Liverpool in the League Cup. It is over a year however since any visiting side scored more than once in a league game at the Etihad, (Wolves since you asked) and a Spurs clean sheet tomorrow seems unlikely. We recommend a bet of over 2.5 goals at 33/40 with Bet365.

We also reckon the 2-1 victory for City at 8/1 (also with Ladbrokes) is a fair price.

It isn’t often that Arsenal vs Manchester United plays second fiddle, but that is certainly the case on Sunday afternoon. Despite being far more successful than the Gunners over the past six seasons, United have only beaten Arsenal away once in a league match in that period and that is why we like Arsenal at the best priced 13/8 (Ladbrokes) to win the match.

We don’t think they’ll be many goals at the Emirates. None of Arsenal’s last six home matches have seen more than two goals, whilst United, apart from a rare blip at Newcastle where they conceded three, haven’t conceded more than a single goal in a Premier League away game since last April. With that in mind, we recommend under 2.5 goals at 23/20 with Bet365.

1.     The football won’t be very good:

Throughout the 80s and 90s, the football world managed to convince itself that African football was improving. Algeria beat Germany, Cameroon beat Argentina, teams like Senegal reached the Quarter-Finals whilst Pele no less predicted an African World Cup winner by 2010. Well 2010 has been and gone Mr Edson Arantes de Nascimento, and still no African champion. Whisper it quietly – but the continent’s football appears to have plateaued.

2.     The Goalkeepers will be particularly terrible:

And a possible reason for the above, is a notable absence of top African keepers. Last time out we had this and a little bit of this too. Mad and useless.

3.     There will be some bizarre stories:

Not enough matches in the Premier League are won via witchcraft. Luckily, at the ACN, most are, or at least they are if you believe bitter, losing managers. Last time out even saw the awful attack on the Togo bus. One thing is for sure – something will happen off the pitch to shock, amuse or simply bemuse.

4.     Ghana will win:

The convenient thing about the CAN from a betting point of view is that the best team tends to win. Regional giants Egypt have won the last three, with Cameroon dominant prior to that. Neither of those sides have made it this time around, and it is all set up for a Ghana vs Ivory Coast final. Back the Black Stars at 4/1 with Ladbrokes.

5.     Pundits will get confused:

Is it African Cup of Nations or African Nations Cup. Let’s call the whole thing off.

Anyone else make a New Year’s resolution to get a new personal trainer? Andy Murray did, only his was eight-times grand slam winner Ivan Lendl. Yours probably wasn’t.

And so to Australia for the first major of the year, and the first opportunity to see if the Czech can bounce Murray from being perennial bridesmaid to blushing bride.

Historically, this tournament is won by the best player in the world. Unlike at Roland Garros, there can be no complaints about the funny surface. And unlike at Wimbledon and Flushing Meadows, players tend not to arrive at the competition in mid-season and therefore injured. The big three at the top of mens’ tennis have shared the last six tournaments, whilst in the womens’, one possibly has to go back to 1987, and the victory of Hana Mandlíková (me neither) for a real surprise.

So what does that mean for the punters? One word – Novak. With Roger in age-related decline and Rafa in knack-related sorrow, Djokovic is clearly the best male tennis player in the world right now. He should make the Australian Open 2012 his fifth major, and 2.52 at Betfair effectively represents free money.

The Ladies’ tournament is far harder to call, with virgin winners of the last three majors (Na, Kvitova and Stosur.) Yet with Serena Williams still dogged by injuries, it could be another first-timer, the much-heralded Dane (and Mrs Rory McIlroy) Caroline Wozniacki, who could finally fulfil her promise. She can be backed with Betfair at a generous 20.

- Harry Redknapp may have blasted Man City for spending too much money (although how he would have signed Adebayor if they hadn’t has yet to be explained,) but to be fair, Spurs are playing the best football in the Premier League right now and we’d be surprised if Wolves are able to contain them. With that in mind it’s really a case of how many and we’ll recommend the 3-0 at 9.8 on Betfair.

- Martin O’Neill has really got Sunderland going, taking 10 points from the last 12 on offer, and they will fancy their chances against a Chelsea team that is still to find any consistency this season. The Blues at 2/7 fills us with absolutely no confidence so our tip is to back Sunderland to nick at least a point. The best bet is with bet365, backing the Black Cats at +0.5 on the handicap at 2/1.

- Aston Villa will be looking to end a run of four consecutive home defeats, against an Everton side that has failed to score more than once in any of their last eight games. These two have fought out draws in five of their last six meetings and we think it will be another stalemate. We like the look of the 1-1 draw at 7.2 on Betfair, and more generally the draw at 9/4 with Ladbrokes.

Trips over there often prove just as dramatic (ask Mike Gatting), but unfortunately due to security reasons, this series will be played in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Here are three rules worth adhering to, when punting Pakistan-England.

1)      Ignore current international trends of low-scoring, quick test matches:

The Middle East produces completely different conditions and wickets to the grounds on which England made short work of Australia and India. There have only ever been two tests held in the Dubai International Cricket Stadium (venue for the first and final test), but no side has been skittled for under 200 in the eight innings to date.

2)      Pakistan are a funny bunch

Nudge nudge wink wink maybe. But there is never a better time to back a Pakistan collapse than when they are 150/2 and cruising. Likewise if you are betting in-play, watch out for sporadic bowling and even fielding brilliance, often coming when least expected.

3)      Back England

Many of Pakistan’s talismanic players have either retired or are banned, and their line-up against England will contain many new names for opposing players and pundits alike. It won’t be easy for Strauss’ men, and Panesar’s form will be crucial, but we fancy a 1-0 series win, available at 6 with our good friends at Betfair.

The Fylde Coast derby this weekend sees Fleetwood fans dreaming of overcoming their local rivals Blackpool. Nobody has netted more than Fleetwood in the Blue Square Premier, so we expect both sides to score (1.72 with Betfair) and we’re happy to back over 2.5 goals at 8/11 with Blue Sq. The 14/1 Ladbrokes offer on a 2-2 scoreline also appeals.

On Saturday, high-flying Spurs face League 2 side Cheltenham and the North London club should blow them away even with the expected team rotation. Roman Pavlyuchenko may have fallen down the pecking order, but is still a striker of real quality which is why we like the look of 4/1 with Ladbrokes on him bagging a brace.

Bristol Rovers sacked their manager Paul Buckle on Tuesday following a hopeless display in a 2-0 defeat at Barnet, which saw them extend their winless run to eight LEAGUE matches. Villa may be terrible but at 27/20 to win at -1.5 on the Asian Handicap with Bet365, we think McLeish’s men provide tremendous value this weekend.

Arsenal start the new year against Fulham in the late kick off on Monday and we’d be surprised if their magical Dutchman doesn’t strike again. Van Persie has 17 goals for the season whilst Fulham have 20 so the 2.18 price with Betfair on another goal today appears to be a good price, it’s as low as 8/13 elsewhere. The Gunners have four wins and one defeat (at Man City) in their last five league away trips and we expect them to extend that good form today. Their most recent three wins have all been by a single goal and the 3/1 with Ladbrokes about them repeating that seems a generous price.

Benayoun, Sessegnon and MG Pederson – not a trio especially known for their aerial prowess, but they have all scored headed goals against Aston Villa this season. The Midlands outfit have conceded an astonishing 57% of their goals this season from set pieces. John Terry already has four Premier League goals to his name this season and is an attractive 25/1 with Ladbrokes to further exploit Villa’s weakness in the air and open the scoring.

Gone are the days where Everton could rely on Tim Cahill to make up for their lack of prolific goalscorers, as he has a grand total of zero goals this season. But we still think they have enough talent in other areas of the pitch to get a result at the Hawathorns and a 1-1 draw is worth a poke at 6/1 with Blue Square.

Brendan Rodgers’ own brand of total football, which let’s face it consists mainly of a lot of neat passing and a lack of goals at both ends should play right into the hands of a Spurs team who look genuine title contenders. The 8/11 that Ladbrokes are offering on Tottenham looks more than fair especially considering Manchester United were as short as 4/9 when they visited the Liberty Stadium last month.

Manchester United don’t win titles by dropping points to Wigan – in fact they barely concede a goal to them, winning seven of the previous eight meetings to nil. That outcome is available at 8/11 with bet365, and you can also get 9/1 with Blue Square on 4-0 and 14/1 on 5-0 with Ladbrokes.

Newcastle’s Demba Ba has scored 13 league goals already this season, and he is priced up at an attractive 2.46 on Betfair to score at Bolton – the side which has conceded 21 goals at home so far this season, more than any other side.

We’re all wearily familiar with matches described as a, “great advert for the Premier League.” Stoke against Aston Villa is whatever the opposite of that is. Not only are both sides long-ball merchants, but they are a little goal-shy. Stoke have scored just 18 goals in their 17 games and Villa have only scored three in their previous six, so we think a bet on under 2.5 goals at 4/5 with Blue Square looks fair.

Second only in prestige to the Cheltenham Gold Cup, the King George is normally a pretty good gauge of how horses are jumping in the run-up to the big one. The hot favourite is last year’s winner, the Waley-Cohen owned and jockeyed Long Run, 5/4 with Ladbrokes. Many believe he could string a chain of victories together to rival the legendary Kauto Star (now almost 12), although the old favourite did thrash him at Haydock in their last big clash. If there is one more big win in Clive D.Smith’s ageing nag, the crowd will go wild, quite justifiably.

Indeed, the Star will certainly have his takers at 7/2, but if it isn’t to be Long Run, Master Minded at 5s may be the value. Trainer Paul Nicholls has been aiming for the King George ever since he won the Melling Chase at Aintree back in April, although he was well below par in the Old Roan Chase earlier this year.

It promises to be an incredible Boxing Day of sport, with Australia-India a warm-up to a bumper Premier League card, and one of the great jump show-downs. There is quite simply no excuse to have to converse with any family members.