Beat the bookie.

Byline: By Neil Harnett

A selective look at the sports bets on offer this weekend:

There will be a real sense of deja vu this afternoon when Arsenal meet Manchester United for the second game in a row. And United will wear their white away kit as they did five years ago in an FA Cup semi-final against the Gunners at Villa Park.

That game was a happier occasion for them than their last clash in this competition, which they lost 2-0 - but the outcome today is surely anyone's guest. The bookmakers make the Gunners slight favourites at 6-4 with Ladbrokes - and the Red Devils are 15-8 with Canbet.

On pure form the pick has to be Arsenal, but winning the Cup is United's priority now. If you add into the equation that the team line-ups of both sides are still far from certain, then this game loses appeal from a betting perspective.

Millwall and Sunderland run out at Old Trafford tomorrow lunchtime with the golden carrot of a place in the FA Cup Final and a guaranteed Uefa Cup place. Again the bookies rate this game close - Sunderland are just favourites at 8-5 with Canbet and the Lions are 2-1 with Victor Chandler.

While it's difficult again to pick the value in these prices, one price that does look worth pursuing is for Danny Dichio to score first. Dichio scored twice in Millwall's 2-1 victory over the Black Cats in January and players often return to haunt their old clubs, particularly in big games. At 8-1 with Ladbrokes, Dichio is worth a small interest to get on the scoresheet first.

The Premiership has eight games this weekend. The one to interest me most is Chelsea's visit to Tottenham this afternoon. Spurs haven't beaten the Blues in the League since October 1990. Their goals have dried up and they have lost three of their last six. They have won half and lost a third of home fixtures while Chelsea's away form reads 11 wins out of 15.

FIXED ODDS BET OF THE WEEKEND

Dichio to score first at 8-1 (Ladbrokes).

SPREAD BET OF THE WEEKEND

Buy Chelsea supremacy a 0.8 (IG Sport).