Betting: Ronaldo's goals

26/02/2008 13:43, Report by Jon Wilde, Betfred

Betting: Ronaldo's goals

Betfred have opened a market on how many Premier League goals Cristiano Ronaldo will score this season after the United winger edged closer to all sorts of records with his double against Newcastle.

The Portuguese star now has 21 league goals and he's 11/2 to bag exactly 33 and surpass Dennis Viollet's club record of 32 set in 1959/60. He's 12/1 to end the season with 34 and equal the Premier League record held by Andrew Cole (1993/94) and Alan Shearer (1994/95) - and both achieved their tallies over 42 games instead of the present 38.

To claim the outright record for himself by amassing 35 or more league goals this season, Ronaldo is a 25/1 shot.

Fred Done, a lifelong Reds fan and boss of Betfred, United's official betting partner, said: "It's one of the more pleasant ways of losing money but Ronaldo has cost me a fortune this season because punters just keep piling on him to score. I thought I would try to claw a bit back by opening this market.

"If he's to equal or better Dennis Viollet's record he'll need to average a goal a game from now on. It won't be easy - United still have to play Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool - but the other games include Fulham, Derby and Wigan."

Papers: Lyon accuse Reds

Papers: Lyon accuse Reds

28/02/2008 09:36

Boss admits Benzema interest
Sir Alex Ferguson was last night accused of trying to unsettle Lyon striker Karim Benzema by admitting he is keen to sign him for £30million. Fergie confirmed his interest in Benzema ahead of Manchester United's Champions League meeting with Lyon, a tactic the French club's president claimed was deliberately designed to unsettled the 20-year-old. Lyon chief Jean-Michel Aulus, who hosted Fergie three weeks ago when the United boss went to watch the French champions ahead of their European meeting, turned on the Scot. Aulus said: "When Lyon, during the season, are interested in a player from another French club, everybody cries 'scandal'. But when, a few days before playing Manchester United, I read here and there that Ferguson is going to make an offer for Benzema, is that not destabilisation?" Despite United's interest, Benzema is under contract until 2012 and has claimed he wants to stay at Lyon for at least one more full season, although his club would be unable to turn down a £30m bid.
David McDonnell, Daily Mirror

Ahead of the second leg clash with Lyon, The Sun claims skipper Cris will miss the game at Old Trafford through injury.

In other news, The Sun reckons United and Liverpool are eyeing Peterborough's 6ft 5in goalkeeper Joe Lewis. Sir Alex Ferguson and Kop chief executive Rick Parry were at Wrexham on Tuesday night to see Lewis in action.

Round up by Gemma Thompson