There’s the divisional championship round of the NFL prior to next Sunday’s Super Bowl

There’s the divisional championship round of the NFL prior to next Sunday’s Super Bowl. There’s the VB (Victoria Bitter, not valiant batting) one-day cricket finals. And Cheltenham is but 51 days away!Today’s two Premiership matches – West Ham at Arsenal, Middlesbrough at Fulham – wouldn’t look too significant in the general run of things. But after Manchester United beat Chelsea yesterday at Old Trafford, Arsenal could kick on beyond 50 points with only 14 matches left.Alternatively, any result for West Ham at Highbury – and they need one – could tighten things up at both top and bottom. Arsenal have only dropped four points at Highbury this season, but West Ham have earned almost twice as many points away from home (11) as they have managed at Upton Park (six). This doesn’t make them a bet, but it suggests that the result might be closer than the bookies think.So rather than bet the odds-on about an Arsenal victory (2-7 anybody?), I’d prefer small stakes on the 2-1 (at 9-1 BetDirect, Blue Square, Totalbet) and 3-1 (at 10-1 Sporting Odds) scorelines, with the same amount on, yes, Thierry Henry as first scorer (3-1 generally). The Fulham-Boro match looks draw material (9-4 with Paddy Power, Skybet and the Tote) with Fulham scrambling to avoid the relegation vortex, and Middlesbrough leaking goals in the absence of Ugo Ehiogu.Those who are convinced that Arsenal are the dog’s favourite body-parts might want further bets before kick-off.

The Gunners are a best-priced 4-9 for the Premiership, 3-1 for the FA Cup (in which they face mighty Farnborough Town next week), and 6-1 for the Champions’ League.Personally, I think the FA Cup will be the tournament in which they miss out, possibly by preference. I suggested a little dabble on Leeds United before the third round (at 14-1), but now it looks as though Gordon Strachan’s Southampton could also be value at the 11-1 that is still widely available.Everyone is banging on about James Beattie, justifiably, but what may be less noticed is that the Saints had the meanest defence in the Premiership going in to last night’s match against Liverpool, having conceded 22 goals in 23 games. They are unbeaten at home, and their fourth-round opponents Millwall may well find St Mary’s as formidable as their own Den next Saturday.The Worthington Cup decides its Cardiff finalists this week, with Manchester United going to Blackburn at 1-1, while Sheffield United take their 2-1 lead to Anfield. Blackburn played some smart football at Old Trafford but United are possibly a more dangerous team playing on the break away from home, and should sneak the win.Sheffield, meanwhile, will feel that they can close down one of Liverpool’s escape routes from their mid-season quicksand. Yet I feel that sheer desperation may yet get Liverpool through, possibly by way of extra time or penalties.

A United-Liverpool final would certainly have Cardiff rocking.I wish I could raise some passion about today’s Divisional Championship games in the NFL, but having seen my final three picks go out last weekend, feelings are somewhat muted. I could live with the Jets and the 49ers losing but the Steelers’ defeat, in controversial circumstances, was hard to bear. Not much was said either about the deliberate personal fouls by the Tennessee cornerback Samari Rolle that cost the Steelers at least one certain touchdown. I am therefore, petulantly, on the side of the Oakland Raiders in the AFC game. The best you can get on them is 10-11 (minus 7.5 points) but I would add a bet on nippy wide receiver Jerry Porter for first TD at 8-1.In the NFC Championship, the stats and the circumstances strongly favour Philadelphia at home to Tampa Bay.

Previous form against the Eagles and a disinclination to perform in cold weather make the Floridians dead ducks But with defences tight, margins could be small. You can get the Eagles at 10/11 with Skybet (minus 3.5 points) but the first TD could well come from their marauding quarterback Donovan McNabb, at 9-1 with Totalbet.Bet of the weekThe Regal Welsh Masters snooker starts tomorrow, and “llogic” suggests that the two leading Welshmen should be backed – Mark Williams at 5-1 (Paddy Power) and Matthew Stevens at 18-1 (Skybet).. Like catching a whiff of Bovril and inhaling a waft of Woodbines, entering Gay Meadow is like chancing upon football as it used to be. With the ground’s ancient terracing, and rusting hoardings, it’s like stumbling upon an enchanting but impractical museum piece It was flooded four times last year And we don’t mean a spot of rising damp. Water from the adjacent River Severn rose to about six inches from the top of the crossbar. They tried a speedboat, and now depend on a man with a long net.