Blunder keeper Ben is facing a cruel Britannia; Betting Boys.

Byline: KEVIN PRICE; JOHN CURLE

STOKE v MANCHESTER UTD 

NOW the dust has settled on an incredible Manchester derby, here are the lessons we've learned.

First, Manchester City have to be respected away from home as well as at Eastlands. Even without their key strikers Emmanuel Adebayor and Robinho, they looked a real threat.

Next, Gareth Barry is currently the most in-form midfielder in the country.

But the biggest thing to stay with us after that match is that United keeper Ben Foster is not the Next Big Thing.

When he turned up at Old Trafford, the word was that this kid was going to be the real deal for club and country.

But after watching him flap and panic during the heat of a Manchester derby battle, we're simply not convinced.

Fergie publicly backed Foster yesterday saying that every young keeper makes mistakes.

But didn't he say that about Jim Leighton, Massimo Taibi and Tim Howard before eventually kicking them out?

After Foster's frantic performance, we immediately looked up the fixture list to see when United were away to Stoke - a game that visiting keepers always mark with a thick black cross.

And as fate would have it, the Britannia Stadium is United's next port of call today.

If Foster thought he had a tough day at the office against City last weekend, just wait until he enters the Stoke bear pit also known as The Rory Delap Throw-in Torture Chamber.

It's not just Foster who looks vulnerable at the moment. The defensive pairing of Ferdinand and Vidic which looked imperious last season is now starting to creak.

United's forward line of Rooney, Berbatov and Owen are brilliant and always have goals in them. But will their defence let them down today? Stoke have already put Chelsea through the wringer this season, losing only to a goal in added time.

We reckon backing Stoke with a goal start is a sound bet today and we'll be punting this big-time.

FULHAM v ARSENAL

TALKING of creaky defences, the recent Premier League goal glut has got us thinking.

Where, oh where, have all the great centre-halves gone? There have been so many headed goals from set-pieces and corners this season, that we're starting to fear that defending has become a lost art.

Apart from say John Terry and Jamie Carragher who love to put their heads in where it hurts, most defenders nowadays are more impressive in their opponents' penalty box than their own.

Players from the golden days such as Tony Adams, Dave Watson and Terry Butcher used to patrol their penalty areas like rabid guard dogs.

But have the pounds 140,000-a week footballers of today become soft? The simple way to stop an opponent heading a goal is to get your nut on it first. Most defenders nowadays try to jump alongside their opponent to merely put them off rather than get their head on the ball.

Take Arsenal's centre-half duo, William Gallas and Thomas Vermaelen. They have both got on the scoresheet in their opponents box - but in turn they look vulnerable to the high ball when they're doing the defending.

Arsenal's League record last season immediately after Carling Cup matches was patchy. It seemed giving their top stars the night off only made them restless rather than rested.

We fancy Fulham to notch tonight and their own big man in the box Brede Hangeland scored in this fixture last year. So we'll be backing him at a whopping 18/1 with Paddy Power to score at any time.

TV: ESPN, 5pm tonight

BIRMINGHAM v BOLTON

MANAGERS love to call their home ground a fortress. But these two bosses find playing on their own turf can be a battle rather than a blessing.

Bolton boss Gary Megson particularly must enjoy playing away from the Reebok such is the vitriol he gets from his own fans.

His players probably enjoy awaydays too at the moment and with the pressure off, we take the Trotters to nick this one at a value 5-2 with Boylesports.

CAPTION(S):

WHOOPS Foster spills the ball allowing City to score STOKING THE FIRE Rory Delap, celebrating with Liam Lawrence, will put United's defence under pressure today