Fred Done's weekly betting column

THE Premiership table is now starting to take shape and the top three teams all look like they can win this weekend.

Leeds can get the better of the Scousers, who need Michael Owen in their team to be effective (ask Grimsby) and Arsenal and Man Utd should be confident choices to dispose of Southampton and Sunderland respectively. A £10 treble on these three will pay £98.80.

After the nail biter against Greece last Saturday - Old Trafford see a whole new ball game this weekend, with the Rugby League Grand Final.

I make Bradford slight favourites to win, but it will be a very tough game. A full range of betting will be available such as 1st Try-scorer, handicap betting and winning margin betting.

I'm getting some grief from the Jocks now to come up with a Celtic - Rangers bet - so here goes.

If at any time during the season Celtic are 12 points clear and have played the same games as Rangers I have vowed to pay out. This could set a record, even from me, as the earliest payout on a team ever.

My reputation has reached Scotland as the "King of early payouts".

But back to England. Their draw against Greece and qualifying for the World Cup was the best result I could have hoped for.

One unlucky punter saw the coming of the tax free betting as a good chance to win an extra few quid. He had £5,000 on England to beat Greece at odds of 1/6. It wasn't a tragedy for England, but was definitely a Greek tragedy for him.

England are now 9/1 to win the World Cup and I'm sure Beckham can lead them on to good things in the next few years.

But how far can England Go? This is what I'm offering.

First Group Stage - 5-2, Last 16 - 7-2, quarter finals 9-2, semi finals 5-1, runners-up 7-1, winners 9-1.

Bolton entertain the Geordies tomorrow, hoping to fare better than against the Black Cats, who left the Reebok Stadium with all three points. After the Monday win against Notts Forest I think they'll have enough energy to overcome the poor travellers from Newcastle. (Was it me or did Bolton forget to tell anyone they were playing on Monday!?).

For Bolton to beat Newcastle, you can have: 2-0 - 10/1, 2-1 - 8/1. Ricketts to score a hat-trick this week is a massive 50/1.

All the prices quoted in my column are correct at time of going to print.