With José Mourinho returning to his old stomping ground and with the added tension between the two managers, it’s 16/1 for the Special One to be sent to the stands. 12/1 is on offer for Inter Milan to score and Mourinho hushes the crowd.

The Blues, who have appeared in the semi-finals of the competition five out of the last six seasons, are 7/2 to be eliminated at the semi-finals stage. It’s 9/2 that Chelsea’s Champions League campaign comes to an end at the quarter-finals stage, 11/2 that they finish as runners up and it’s 5/1 that they go on to win the competition for the first time in the history of the club.

Sky Bet’s football betting spokesman Tim Reynolds said: “Tomorrow’s game is nicely set up and Inter Milan will have to be at their best defensively if they are going to stop Chelsea from progressing especially after their 3-1 defeat at Catania on Friday. The Blues had the perfect warm-up at the weekend beating West Ham 4-1.”

It’s now 5/1 (from 12/1) for the England international to mark his remarkable season by making a clean sweep of awards, PFA Players’ Player of the Year, Football Writers’ Association Footballer of the Year, Fifa World Player of the Year and also being named the BBC Sports Personality of the Year.

Sky Bet’s football betting spokesman Tim Reynolds said: “Rooney has eight league games and five possible European games to try and surpass Ronaldo’s 42 goals and with the form that the England international is in, you wouldn’t bet against it.”

Gary Megson is the 4/1 second favourite and Gareth Southgate, who has been out of management since he was dismissed by Middlesbrough in October 2009, is 6/1.

Alan Curbishley, who could return to management after recently agreeing to a compensation package with West Ham, is 6/1 and Stoke City’s assistant manager Peter Reid is 10/1.

Sky Bet’s football betting spokesman Tim Reynolds said: “It seems a strange time to get rid of your manager especially in the midst of a relegation battle. Sky Bet customers obviously knew something wasn’t quite right as we saw a lot of support for Brown to be the next Premier League manager to leave prior to the weekend’s defeat to Arsenal, which lead us to cut him from 16/1 into 5/2 on Friday.”

It’s 100/30 that the 34-year old announces his retirement from football before the end of the 2010 World Cup.

Beckham, who is in his second loan stint with Milan from Los Angeles Galaxy, is 5/6 to play for the American outfit next season (5/6 not to play).

Sky Bet’s football betting spokesman Stewart Beesley: “David Beckham has been the ultimate professional and dedicated everything to making the World Cup finals. He will be crushed not to be there in this cruel way and it remains to be seen how he comes out of this even if the operation is a total success”.

With the relegation battle in the Premier League the closest it has been for years with 15th to 19th place covered by just four points, it’s 11/10 the team that finishes the season in the final relegation spot (18th) achieves 35 points or more (4/6 34 points or fewer).

Sky Bet’s football betting spokesman Tim Reynolds said: “Burnley haven’t won in their last five matches and if they fail to gain three points against Wolves and lose further ground on the teams above them, Brian Laws’ side may find it hard to escape relegation.”

It’s 3/1 for any one of the top three teams to lose this weekend.

Sky Bet’s football betting spokesman Tim Reynolds said: “The top three in the Premier League all seem to have relatively easy fixtures this weekend but with Manchester United and Arsenal both in action mid-week, it will be interesting to see if either suffer a Champions League hangover.”

Sky Bet’s football betting spokesman Tim Reynolds said: “Rooney has scored a total of fourteen goals in his last ten matches and if he’s given any opportunity against Fulham on Sunday, you wouldn’t bet against the England international adding to his total.”

Manchester United’s recent run of form (won seven of their last nine league matches) has seen them overtake Chelsea at the top of the table. It’s 4/7 that United are the highest scoring Premier League team on Sunday (5/2 Man City, 9/2 Sunderland & 25/1 Fulham) and 6/1 that they are unbeaten in the league from now until the end of the season.

The extra place offer goes live from 4pm on Friday with 9/2 favourite Qaspal one of a host of runners chasing a £75,000 bonus from the sponsors if following up in any race at the Cheltenham Festival.

Qaspal will get a 5lb penalty if winning the first leg for trainer Philip Hobbs, but could still struggle to make the cut for his Festival entries in the County Hurdle or Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Hurdle.

Matt Doyle of Sky Bet said: ‘Qaspal looks to have been plotted up and he is one we want to keep side with JP McManus withdrawing his other entries to ensure his novice crept in at the foot of the weights.’

Paddy Power Imperial Cup – Sky Bet betting:

9/2 Qaspal, 6/1 Pepe Simo, 8/1 Aather, 9/1 Tocca Ferro, 12/1 Caravel, Press The Button, 14/1 Oldrik, 20/1 Pascha Bere, Tender Falcon, 22/1 Danis Girl, 25/1 Stradbrook, Pistolet Noir, Callisto Moon, Katie’s Tutor, El Dancer, Treaty Flyer, Dontpaytheferryman, Numide, 33/1 Tilt, Cheshire Prince, Chaninbar, Border Castle, Kanad, Sambulando

Each-way terms: ¼ odds first 5 places, from 4pm Friday

The growing list of trainers clamouring for his services includes Tom George, who is expected to call on the Irishman to replace injured stable jockey Sam Thomas on Albert Bartlett favourite Tell Massini and outsider Olofi in the Triumph Hurdle.

Brennan already has a fantastic book of rides to look forward to at next week’s Cheltenham Festival, where his mounts include Khyber Kim in the Champion Hurdle and Imperial Commander in the Gold Cup for his retaining yard.

The no.1 jockey to Nigel Twiston-Davies could also be called up for leading RSA hope Weird Al from the Ian Williams yard if not required to ride for his boss.

Matt Doyle, the Sky Bet horse racing betting spokesman, said: ‘Although Ruby Walsh’s book of rides is the envy of his weighing room colleagues, the same can be said of Brennan who is riding at the top of his game at present.’

Brennan’s maiden Festival success came in 2006 on the Charlie Egerton-trained Shamayoun in the Fred Winter Hurdle and he cemented his new partnership with Nigel Twiston-Davies riding Imperial Commander to victory in the Ryanair Chase 12 months ago.

The Irishman is one of the leading current jockeys riding at the Cheltenham Festival with four winners, while Ruby Walsh heads the lists with 24 winners and is 1/2 favourite to retain the leading rider title this year with Sky Bet.

Walsh needs just two more winners to become the winning-most rider at the festival and would break the record of Arkle’s jockey Pat Taaffe, who holds the record at present with 25 Festival winners.

Top Festival jockey, Sky Bet betting:

1/2 Ruby Walsh, 10/3 Barry Geraghty, 13/2 Tony McCoy, 14/1 Robert Thornton, 20/1 Davy Russell, 22/1 (from 33s) Paddy Brennan, 25/1 Richard Johnson, 33/1 Paul Carberry, Timmy Murphy, 50/1 Graham Lee, Tom Scudamore, 66/1 Jason Maguire, 100/1 Sam Waley-Cohen

Top Festival jockey w/o Ruby Walsh, Sky Bet betting:

5/4 Barry Geraghty, 3/1 Tony McCoy, 6/1 Robert Thornton, 7/1 Davy Russell, 11/1 (from 14s) Paddy Brennan, 14/1 Paul Carberry, 20/1 Timmy Murphy, 25/1 Graham Lee, 28/1 Denis O’Regan, 33/1 Paul Townend, 40/1 Jason Maguire

Ferdy Murphy’s charge narrowly missed out on Arkle glory last year going down by a short head to Forpadydeplasterer, who is 4/1 to confirm the placings if the pair lock horns again for the Festival rematch.

Paul Nicholls’s Twist Magic is 7/2 next best to come out best in the market without his stablemate and outright 4/5 favourite Master Minded, while it is 7-2 for the straight forecast with a Nicholls 1-2.

Matt Doyle of Sky Bet said: ‘Kalahari King is the one horse without questions to answer in the betting without the favourite and he is trained by a Festival specialist.’

Nicky Henderson’s has left three in RSA Chase at the six-day stage and its 5/1 he saddles a 1-2, while Sky Bet offer a straight match bet on his two main protagonists chalking up 8/11 Long Run v Evens Punchestowns.

Among the key market movers for Wednesday’s meeting, Mourad and Quantitativeeasing have been backed into 7/1 joint favouritism from 10s with Sky Bet for the Coral Cup.

Sky Bet market movers (non-runner, no bet all 26 Festival races)

Coral Cup

Mourad 7/1 Jt Fav (from 10s)

Quantitativeeasing 7/1 Jt Fav (from 10s)

Sky Bet RSA Chase specials:

8/11 Long Run v Evs Punchestowns

Nicky Henderson to saddle the first two home – 5/1

Sky Bet Queen Mother Champion Chase specials:

Champion Chase betting w/o Master Minded:

2/1 Kalahari King, 7/2 Twist Magic, 4/1 Big Zeb, Forpadydeplasterer, 9/1 Petit Robin, 14/1 Well Chief, 20/1 Free World, Barker, Golden Silver, 25/1 Oh Crick, 33/1 Cornas, 50/1 Mahogany Blaze, Newmill

Sky Bet winning distance markets:

How far will Master Minded win by?

Up to and including 3 lengths – 9/2

Over 3 lengths and up to and including 6 lengths – 9/2

Over 6 lengths and up to and including 9 lengths – 9/2

Over 9 lengths – 3/1

Master Minded 2009 repeat – to win by exactly 7 lengths: 14/1

Master Minded 2008 repeat – to win by exactly 19 lengths: 33/1

Which Banker will win by the greatest distance:

Dunguib 9/4

Kauto Star 9/4

Master Minded 11/4

Big Buck’s 4/1

None of those named win 12/1

Link to Sky Bet Cheltenham Festival specials:

http://www.skybet.com/skybet?action=GoEvType&id=10005004