Sports Betting: Arsenal should cut down Forest

TITLE HOLDERS after a second half of the season surge in which they notched 45 points, at least 10 more points than any other side, and bang in form judging by their facile 3-0 victory over Manchester United in the Charity Shield, Arsenal should give Nottingham Forest a torrid time in their Premiership (a 3-0 victory to the Gunners looks on the cards - Coral offer 17-2 about said scoreline) game at Highbury tonight.

Time has yet to catch up with the Gunners' back four and, with World Cup heroes Emmanuel Petit and Patrick Vieira in midfield, Marc Overmars and Ray Parlour down the flanks and the brilliant Dennis Bergkamp and the blindingly fast Nicolas Anelka (who ,with Bergkamp likely to drop the deeper of the two, looks the best bet to be first goal-scorer at 9- 2 with Coral and William Hill) up front, the London club have a favourite's chance of defending their title.

Arsenal have been cut from 2-1 to 7-4 favourites by William Hill, who have lengthened Manchester United from 2-1 to 9-4 after their unimpressive "Desmond" (2-2) at home to Leicester on Saturday and also offer 5-1 Liverpool, 11-2 Chelsea (from 4-1), 20-1 West Ham, 25-1 Blackburn and Leeds.

Forest will find life tough in the top division which is pulling further away from the First Division with each successive season. Forest are 6- 4 to go down with William Hill, who have cut Spurs' relegation odds from 8-1 to 7-2 and make Charlton 8-13 to go down with Sheffield Wednesday at 5-4. Wimbledon are 7-4.

TONIGHT'S MATCH

Team C H L S T

Arsenal 2-5 2-5 4-9 2-5 2-5

Draw 13-5 11-4 13-5 3-1 11-4

Nottingham Forest 7-1 13-2 6-1 11-2 13-2

C Coral, H William Hill, L Ladbrokes, S Stanley, T Tote