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Author: Dave James

  • Algeria vs Congo – How to watch AFCON today

    Algeria vs Congo – How to watch AFCON today

    🏆 Result: Algeria 1-0 DR Congo (AET) – Substitute Adil Boulbina scored a thunderous winner in the 119th minute to send Algeria through to the AFCON quarter-finals. The match went to extra time after a goalless 90 minutes.

    Algeria face DR Congo in the round of 16 at the Africa Cup of Nations this afternoon, with a quarter-final place on the line.

    The clash takes place in Rabat after Algeria completed a flawless group stage. Three wins from three saw the Fennecs top Group E with a maximum nine points, underlining their credentials as one of the leading contenders for the title.

    DR Congo progressed from Group D after finishing second behind Senegal, remaining unbeaten but falling just short of top spot.

    Algeria v DR Congo Live Stream

    The match will be shown live in the UK on Channel 4. Live streaming is also available via the bet365 Football Live Streaming platform, subject to account requirements.

    Algeria v DR Congo kick off time, date and venue

    Algeria v DR Congo will be played at the Moulay Hassan Stadium on Tuesday 6 January. Kick off is scheduled for 16:00 GMT.

    With both sides aiming to build on solid group stage performances, Algeria will look to maintain their perfect record, while DR Congo hope to produce an upset and extend their stay in the tournament.

    Algeria’s group campaign was capped by a confident 3-1 victory over Equatorial Guinea in their final match. Head coach Vladimir Petkovic rotated his squad heavily for that fixture, yet there was no visible drop in quality, highlighting the depth available to him as the tournament enters its knockout phase.

    DR Congo, known as the Leopards, impressed in spells during the group stage but lacked the consistency shown by their opponents. While they avoided defeat across their three matches, they were unable to match Algeria’s intensity and cutting edge in Group E.

    Team News

    Algeria will be without left back Jaouen Hadjam for their AFCON clash after he suffered an ankle injury against Burkina Faso.

    There are also concerns over Rayan Ait-Nouri, who was forced off during Algeria’s group stage win over Equatorial Guinea. His fitness will be assessed ahead of kick off, leaving Algeria potentially short of options on the left side of defence.

    In attack, Algeria continue to be inspired by Riyad Mahrez, who has enjoyed an excellent tournament so far. Mahrez has scored three goals at the finals, placing him just one behind Brahim Diaz of Morocco in the Golden Boot standings.

    Despite the defensive concerns, Algeria will be hoping Mahrez’s form in front of goal can once again make the difference as they push deeper into the tournament.

    The reward for victory this afternoon is a quarter-final meeting with Nigeria on Saturday.

  • Next Man Utd Manager Odds: Carrick Appointed After Amorim Sacking

    Next Man Utd Manager Odds: Carrick Appointed After Amorim Sacking

    🚨 UPDATE, May 2026: Michael Carrick was appointed Manchester United’s permanent manager on 22 May 2026, on a two-year contract until June 2028. He had joined as interim in January after Amorim’s sacking and secured Champions League qualification with 11 wins in 15 Premier League games. Read on for the full story of Amorim’s departure, the odds market that followed and how Carrick took the job.

    Manchester United parted company with Ruben Amorim on 5 January 2026 after just 14 months in charge, following a post-match press conference after a 1-1 draw at Leeds United in which Amorim publicly criticised the club’s director of football and scouting department. The comments, widely reported as the final straw for the United hierarchy, ended a turbulent tenure that had promised far more than it ultimately delivered.

    Amorim arrived at Old Trafford in November 2024, paid for with a £17 million release clause from Sporting Lisbon and heralded as one of European football’s most exciting young coaches. He had won two Primeira Liga titles with Sporting and reached the Champions League knockout stages, and United’s board believed his 3-4-2-1 system could provide the structural backbone the club had lacked for years. The reality was more difficult. Amorim took charge of 63 matches, winning 24, drawing 18 and losing 21, a win percentage of 38.1 per cent that represented the lowest recorded by a permanent United manager in the modern era. The 2024-25 season had ended with United finishing 15th in the Premier League, their lowest top-flight points total since the 1973-74 relegation campaign, though Amorim did lead them to the Europa League final in Bilbao, where they lost 1-0 to Tottenham Hotspur.

    Why Amorim Was Sacked

    The breaking point came at Elland Road on 4 January 2026. After United drew 1-1 with Leeds, leaving them sixth in the Premier League with one win in their last five league games, Amorim used his press conference to publicly distance himself from the club’s transfer strategy and criticise the scouting department for failing to deliver the January signings he had requested. He had reportedly grown frustrated throughout his tenure by what he perceived as a lack of backing in the transfer market, particularly given the significant summer outlay on Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko that had not translated into consistent results on the pitch. The club had spent more than £200 million building a squad around his system, but Amorim’s inability to make it work consistently had been undermining confidence in him throughout the autumn.

    A club statement issued on 5 January confirmed the parting of ways, citing United’s sixth-place position and the board’s belief that a change gave the team the best opportunity of the highest possible Premier League finish. Amorim received a settlement reported at around £9.25 million covering the remainder of his contract to June 2027.

    Amorim’s Full Record at Manchester United

    Stat Figure
    Total matches 63
    Wins 24
    Draws 18
    Losses 21
    Win percentage 38.1%
    Premier League finish 2024-25 15th
    Premier League position at sacking 6th (20 games played)

    Next Man United Manager Odds (January 2026)

    Odds correct at time of original publication, January 2026. Markets shifted significantly as the interim appointment became clear.

    Candidate Odds (early market)
    Enzo Maresca 7/2 (early favourite)
    Ole Gunnar Solskjaer 4/1
    Michael Carrick 5/1 (became 5/6 after interim appointment)
    Oliver Glasner 6/1 (rose to 7/4 after Crystal Palace departure)
    Gareth Southgate 8/1
    Thomas Tuchel 10/1
    Mauricio Pochettino 12/1
    Julian Nagelsmann 12/1
    Darren Fletcher 50/1

    Darren Fletcher’s Brief Interim Spell

    In the immediate aftermath of Amorim’s sacking, United turned to Darren Fletcher, then serving as the club’s under-18s coach, to take caretaker charge while they assessed the situation. Fletcher, who had consulted Sir Alex Ferguson before accepting the role and described it as his duty as a club employee, drew 2-2 at Burnley in his first match. He oversaw a 2-0 FA Cup defeat to Brighton before the club moved to confirm a longer-term interim arrangement, with Fletcher himself acknowledging after the Brighton loss that he had zero indications as to when his time in the dugout would end.

    Michael Carrick Takes Interim Charge

    United held talks with both Michael Carrick and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer about the interim role, with Solskjaer’s negotiations reportedly complicated by disagreements over his backroom staff. Carrick was confirmed as interim manager on 13 January 2026, taking charge with United sixth in the Premier League and in need of immediate stabilisation. The 45-year-old had previous managerial experience at Middlesbrough in the Championship before being sacked in the summer of 2025, and his understanding of United’s culture from his time as a player between 2006 and 2018 was seen as an important asset during a period of uncertainty.

    Carrick’s early impact was immediate and striking. He restored Kobbie Mainoo to a central role, reverted to a traditional back four from Amorim’s three-at-the-back system, introduced shorter and more intense training sessions and made a point of addressing players after games, something Amorim had reportedly avoided. United won four of his first five matches and the atmosphere at Old Trafford shifted perceptibly within weeks of his arrival.

    Carrick Secures Champions League Football

    Over his five-month interim tenure, Carrick oversaw 11 wins from 15 Premier League matches, a run that included victories over Crystal Palace, Aston Villa, Chelsea, Brentford, Liverpool and Nottingham Forest. Bruno Fernandes won the FWA Men’s Footballer of the Year award during the run-in, and Kobbie Mainoo’s form was so impressive that he was named in Thomas Tuchel’s England World Cup squad. The Champions League qualification United secured under Carrick was described by ESPN as an outcome that can only be deemed a success after the chaos and underperformance of the Amorim era.

    The permanent appointment decision was not immediate. Oliver Glasner, who left Crystal Palace in April 2026, moved into favouritism at 7/4 at various points during the spring as doubts were raised about whether United would give the job to an interim rather than pursue a bigger name. Julian Nagelsmann was also linked at 12/1. Ultimately, after William Hill cut Carrick to 1/5 following the 3-2 win over Liverpool, United confirmed him as permanent manager on 22 May 2026, signing a two-year deal to June 2028.

    Carrick’s Appointment in Context

    Carrick became the sixth permanent manager United had appointed since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013, following David Moyes, Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Erik ten Hag and Amorim. Each of his predecessors had been unable to return the club to consistent title contention, and the appointment was greeted with a mixture of cautious optimism and the kind of scrutiny that comes with managing the most examined job in English football.

    Matheus Cunha said in the weeks before the announcement that Carrick enjoyed immense trust within the dressing room and that his coaching style felt different from anything the squad had experienced in recent years. Maguire described him as excellent with the players and praised his communication. Whether that trust and those results translate into long-term success remains the central question of United’s next chapter.

    For more next manager odds coverage, see our Next Tottenham Manager Odds, Next Chelsea Manager Odds and Next Liverpool Manager Odds pieces.

    All odds correct at time of original publication, January 2026. Please gamble responsibly. For help with problem gambling visit GambleAware.org. 18+.

  • How to watch Leicester City v West Brom TV channel, live streaming

    How to watch Leicester City v West Brom TV channel, live streaming

    Pressure is mounting on both dugouts as Marti Cifuentes and Ryan Mason prepare to lead their sides into a tense EFL Championship clash on Monday night.

    The mood around the King Power Stadium is far from positive. Growing frustration with the club’s ownership and direction has led some Leicester City supporters to consider staying away in protest, adding to the sense of unrest ahead of the visit of West Bromwich Albion. On the pitch, Leicester’s season continues to drift. Hopes of an immediate return to the Premier League are fading after a steady slide down the table, and defeat on Monday could see them overtaken by their visitors.

    Leicester v West Brom TV channel and live stream

    Live coverage will be shown on Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Football and Sky Sports Ultra HD. The match will also be available to stream via Sky Go. For more Championship fixtures on TV, see our Championship TV schedule.

    Leicester v West Brom kick-off time and venue

    The match kicks off at 20:00 on Monday night at the King Power Stadium.

    Leicester’s struggles have only intensified supporter dissatisfaction. Cifuentes’ side have lost three of their last four matches, including a damaging 4-1 defeat away to his former club Queens Park Rangers. Although they edged past Derby County 2-1 at home last Monday, the performance did little to ease concerns. Underlying numbers offer little encouragement either, with Leicester ranked 21st in the division for expected goals.

    West Brom arrive with problems of their own. After a promising start to the campaign, the Baggies have slipped to 18th and have struggled to convert performances into results. Despite that, Mason’s side have shown signs of competitiveness and were unfortunate to lose 1-0 away to Swansea City in their most recent outing. With both managers under scrutiny and supporters restless, Monday’s encounter has the feel of a pivotal moment for two clubs in need of momentum in a demanding Championship campaign.

  • Egypt v Benin Live Streaming – AFCON

    Egypt v Benin Live Streaming – AFCON

    Africa Cup of Nations contenders Egypt will look to avoid an early shock when they face Benin in the round of 16 on Monday afternoon, writes Dave James. The Pharaohs head into the knockout phase unbeaten after a controlled group stage campaign. Victories over Zimbabwe and South Africa ensured qualification was wrapped up early, before a goalless draw with Angola completed their Group B schedule.

    That final group match allowed Egypt to rest key players, leaving them fit and fresh for Monday’s contest at the Adrar Stadium. With squad rotation managed effectively, Egypt are widely expected to step up a level as the tournament moves into the knockout rounds.

    Rested for Egypt’s final group match against Angola, Mohamed Salah is set to return on Monday with the aim of extending his goalscoring run at the Africa Cup of Nations. The Liverpool forward may have found consistency harder to come by at club level this season, but his impact in an Egypt shirt has once again been decisive. Salah has made a strong start to the tournament, scoring in each of the Pharaohs’ opening two matches, both from the penalty spot against Zimbabwe and South Africa.

    How to watch Egypt v Benin

    Group B winners Egypt take on Benin at Adrar Stadium on Monday, with kick-off scheduled for 16:00 GMT. The match will be shown live on 4seven, with a place in the Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals at stake.

    While knockout football can produce surprises, the balance of form and quality points strongly towards Egypt. With greater depth, physical presence and defensive solidity, the Pharaohs are expected to have too much for a Benin side that has already exceeded expectations simply by reaching this stage.

    Benin have done enough to extend their stay in Morocco but arrive as clear underdogs. Their progression was secured thanks to a narrow 1-0 win over Botswana, following an opening defeat to DR Congo. A heavy 3-0 loss to Senegal in their final group game underlined the gap between Benin and the tournament’s elite sides. They have managed just one goal across three matches at this AFCON and now face an Egyptian defence that has already recorded two clean sheets.

  • Birmingham Relegation odds slashed after Watford defeat

    Birmingham Relegation odds slashed after Watford defeat

    Birmingham City have drifted to 200/1 to be relegated from the EFL Championship following a disappointing 3-0 defeat away to Watford on New Year’s Day.

    A hat-trick from Tom Ince sealed a fourth consecutive victory for Watford and deepened Birmingham’s slump, extending their winless run to seven league matches. The result has increased pressure on head coach Chris Davies and saw the Blues slip to 16th in the Championship standings.

    Despite their mid table position, Birmingham are far from comfortable. There are just seven points separating them from Norwich City in 22nd place, underlining how quickly fortunes can change in the tightly packed second tier.

    Supporters will be hoping for a response when Birmingham return to St Andrew’s on Sunday to face league leaders Coventry City. A positive result would go a long way towards easing growing relegation concerns after a difficult festive period.

    Birmingham City relegation odds

    Birmingham City to be relegated 200/1

    As those odds suggest, Birmingham are not currently viewed as serious relegation candidates. However, the Championship’s congested nature means clubs can slide rapidly if form does not improve.

    The contrast with early December is stark. When Birmingham beat Watford in the reverse fixture, they were firmly in the play off conversation.

    Since then, just three points from seven matches and defeats to Southampton, QPR, Sheffield Utd and most recently Watford have dramatically altered the outlook.

    With the gap to the relegation places shrinking, Birmingham will be keen to halt the slide quickly and restore momentum before the Championship table tightens further in the weeks ahead.

  • Next Chelsea Manager Odds- Oliver Glasner enters race

    Next Chelsea Manager Odds- Oliver Glasner enters race

    🕒 Last Updated: 2 January 2026 – Odds and market information correct at time of last update. Please check with your bookmaker for current prices.

    ⚽ Result: Liam Rosenior was appointed Chelsea head coach on 6 January 2026 on a six-and-a-half-year deal, vindicating his 1/4 market position. However, Rosenior was then sacked in April 2026 after just three months in charge, following five consecutive Premier League defeats without scoring. Xabi Alonso was subsequently appointed as his successor ahead of the 2026/27 season.

    Chelsea Begin Search for New Manager After Maresca Exit

    Chelsea are looking for a new head coach after parting ways with Enzo Maresca, with bookmakers already pointing to a clear frontrunner to take the job at Stamford Bridge. Maresca’s departure brings to an end a troubled stint in west London, with reports suggesting his relationship with the club’s hierarchy had been deteriorating for some time. The breakdown came over the summer when Chelsea refused to sanction defensive signings in the wake of a serious injury to Levi Colwill, a decision that left the Italian deeply unhappy. He publicly described his “worst 48 hours” at the club, comments widely read as a sign the working relationship had broken down.

    While some supporters sympathised with his frustrations over the club’s transfer activity, results ultimately sealed his fate. Chelsea won just once in seven Premier League matches, and the atmosphere at Stamford Bridge grew toxic during the recent defeat to Bournemouth, when Maresca was met with chants of “you don’t know what you’re doing” from sections of the crowd after substituting Cole Palmer.

    Liam Rosenior quickly emerged as the bookmakers’ favourite at 1/4 to step in. The former Hull City manager impressed at Strasbourg, steering the Ligue 1 club to a seventh-place finish in his first season and putting them in a strong position in the UEFA Conference League. His connection to the BlueCo ownership group, which controls both Strasbourg and Chelsea, made any potential move considerably smoother from a business perspective.

    Xavi Hernandez was another option being discussed, particularly if Chelsea decided they wanted a more high-profile name in the dugout. The former Barcelona head coach had been without a club since leaving the Nou Camp in May 2024. Andoni Iraola and Oliver Glasner were also being monitored. Glasner in particular also featured in the next Tottenham manager market, with several clubs eyeing the same candidates simultaneously.

    Cesc Fabregas, who enjoyed a successful playing career at Chelsea, was also expected to feature on the shortlist. The Como head coach guided the newly promoted side to a tenth-place finish in Serie A last season and had them pushing for a European spot, results that significantly raised his profile as a managerial prospect.

    CandidateOdds
    Liam Rosenior1/4
    Oliver Glasner8/1
    Filipe Luis10/1
    Cesc Fabregas10/1
    Francesco Farioli12/1
    Andoni Iraola14/1
    Roberto De Zerbi16/1
    Xavi Hernandez16/1

    Chelsea faced a decision on which direction to take. Whether they opted for a familiar face from within their ownership network, a proven Premier League operator, or a marquee appointment, the pressure was on the club’s hierarchy to get it right. Manchester United and Tottenham were simultaneously searching for permanent appointments, meaning the pool of available managers was being competed for across multiple clubs.

  • Sunderland v Leeds Predictions, Tips – What is the Betbuilder today?

    Sunderland v Leeds Predictions, Tips – What is the Betbuilder today?

    Two familiar foes renew acquaintances in the Premier League on Sunday as Sunderland welcome Leeds United to the Stadium of Light, with the hosts currently sitting eight points clear of their fellow promoted side.

    Sunderland have enjoyed an impressive return to the top flight and head into the busy Christmas and New Year schedule firmly in the top half of the table. The Black Cats continued that strong start last weekend, backing up a derby victory over Newcastle with a hard-fought 0-0 draw away at Brighton, despite being without several key players who have departed for AFCON.

    A return to Wearside will be warmly welcomed by the home supporters. Sunderland remain one of only two teams, alongside Arsenal, yet to lose a Premier League match on home soil this season, underlining just how formidable they have been at the Stadium of Light.

    BetBuilder (from Bet365):

    Fixed Odds – Draw @ 21/10
    Alternative Bet – Under 2.5 Goals @ 4/7
    Bet Builder – Over 4 Cards, Sunderland to get Most Shots on Target, Granit Xhaka 2+ Tackles @ 13/2

    Sunday’s contest is the first Premier League meeting between the two clubs since December 2002, when Leeds ran out 2-1 winners in the same venue. Almost 23 years on, the balance of power looks rather different, with Sunderland riding a wave of momentum.

    Leeds arrive in decent form themselves. Pressure had been building on head coach Daniel Farke, but a four-game unbeaten run has eased concerns. That sequence includes creditable results against Liverpool and Chelsea, capped by an emphatic 4-1 victory over Crystal Palace last time out.

    Those results have lifted the Whites six points clear of the relegation zone, a welcome cushion in a season where many had tipped them for an immediate return to the EFL Championship. However, concerns remain over their away form, with Leeds winning just one of their first eight Premier League trips this campaign. Only Wolves boast a worse record on the road.

    Despite the eight-point gap between the sides, recent form suggests a tight contest. Both teams have taken eight points from their last five league matches, and recent meetings have been closely fought, producing three draws and a win apiece across the last five encounters.

    Last season’s Championship clashes also underlined how little separates them. The meeting at the Stadium of Light ended level after Sunderland grabbed a dramatic stoppage-time equaliser, while the return fixture at Elland Road looked destined for another draw before a late winner settled it in Leeds’ favour.

    With Sunderland’s formidable home record set against Leeds’ away struggles, the Black Cats may just have the edge, but all signs point towards a closely contested affair on Wearside.

  • Fulham 1-0 Nottingham Forest: Match Report and Season Review

    Fulham 1-0 Nottingham Forest: Match Report and Season Review

    🚨 RESULT: Fulham 1-0 Nottingham Forest, Craven Cottage, 22 December 2025. Raul Jimenez scored a first-half penalty to give Fulham a victory that extended their cushion above the relegation zone and condemned Forest to Christmas in the bottom half. The pre-match prediction of a Forest away win did not land. Read on for the full match report and how both clubs’ seasons ultimately played out.

    A Raul Jimenez penalty five minutes into first-half stoppage time proved the difference between two sides who struggled to create clear-cut chances across an attritional Monday night contest at Craven Cottage. The goal came after Douglas Luiz was adjudged to have fouled Brazilian winger Kevin in the penalty area, and Jimenez sent goalkeeper John Victor the wrong way from 12 yards to give Fulham a lead they protected until the final whistle.

    The result was Fulham’s fourth win in six Premier League games, a run that had transformed their season since the start of November and left them with a significantly healthier cushion above the relegation zone than the situation before Christmas might have suggested. Forest, meanwhile, suffered a fourth consecutive Premier League defeat at Craven Cottage, having conceded nine goals and scored just once in their four visits there.

    Match Details

    Detail Information
    Competition Premier League, Matchday 17
    Date Monday 22 December 2025
    Venue Craven Cottage, London
    Kick-off 20:00 GMT
    Attendance 27,136
    Referee Anthony Taylor

    Pre-Match Betting Odds

    The pre-match analysis had identified Forest as value for the away win, with the Tricky Trees arriving on the back of back-to-back victories, including a 3-0 home win over Tottenham the previous weekend, and Fulham carrying injury absences. Fulham were narrow favourites given home advantage, but the form argument favoured Nuno Espirito Santo’s visitors. In the end the prediction did not land, with Fulham’s defensive resilience and Jimenez’s penalty proving the deciding factors.

    Match Report

    The opening exchanges were cautious on both sides. Forest’s best chance of the first half fell to Igor Jesus eight minutes in, but the Brazilian forward failed to convert what was a presentable opportunity and the game settled into a pattern of neither side creating sustained pressure in the final third. Both teams registered just three shots on target across the full 90 minutes, underlining the scrappy and tense nature of the contest.

    The game was decided just before the half-time whistle when referee Anthony Taylor pointed to the spot after Douglas Luiz’s challenge on Kevin inside the Forest penalty area. Jimenez stepped up and converted calmly, sending John Victor the wrong way to give Fulham a lead they defended with considerable organisation in the second half.

    Morgan Gibbs-White sent a couple of attempts off-target early in the second half as Forest pressed to find an equaliser, but Fulham’s defensive shape held firm and Marco Silva’s side saw out the three points without serious alarm after the 70th minute. The win left Fulham ten points clear of the bottom three at Christmas, a significant improvement on where they had been just six weeks earlier.

    How Both Clubs’ Seasons Ended

    The December win over Forest proved to be part of an important run for Fulham. Since the start of November 2025, only Manchester City, Aston Villa and Arsenal had accumulated more Premier League points than Fulham, a transformation in form that reflected well on Marco Silva’s work in stabilising the squad after a difficult early-season period. The club finished the 2025-26 Premier League season in 11th place with 52 points from 38 games, a respectable mid-table outcome that gave the manager a platform to build from heading into the summer.

    For Nottingham Forest, the season proved considerably more difficult. Sean Dyche’s side spent much of the campaign in the lower half of the table and ultimately finished 16th with 44 points, surviving with eight points to spare over the relegation zone. West Ham, Burnley and Wolves were the three clubs relegated, with Forest never in serious danger of joining them during the second half of the season despite the mid-December concern around their position. The Europa League campaign, which had added fixture congestion throughout the autumn, was eventually ended in the knockout rounds, and Forest refocused on domestic survival from January onwards.

    For more Premier League coverage and next manager odds across the division, visit our Next Premier League Manager to Be Sacked tracker.

    All odds correct at time of original publication, December 2025. Please gamble responsibly. For help with problem gambling visit GambleAware.org. 18+.

  • Next Strictly Come Dancing Presenter Odds: Zoe Ball Was Favourite Before BBC Confirmed New Hosts

    Next Strictly Come Dancing Presenter Odds: Zoe Ball Was Favourite Before BBC Confirmed New Hosts

    🚨 UPDATE, May 2026: The BBC has officially confirmed the new Strictly Come Dancing presenting trio. Emma Willis, Johannes Radebe and Josh Widdicombe will front the show when it returns to BBC One this autumn for its 24th series, and for the first time in the show’s history, it will have three hosts. Zoe Ball, who had been the clear odds-on favourite throughout the betting market, was not named. Read on for the full pre-announcement odds breakdown and analysis.

    The race to replace Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman as host of Strictly Come Dancing had captivated BBC watchers for months, with bookmakers reporting a surge of interest from punters keen to back their preferred candidates. Zoe Ball was installed as the 11/8 favourite, and Ladbrokes went so far as to suspend the market entirely, which is the kind of move that usually signals strong intelligence that a deal is close to being finalised behind the scenes.

    As it turned out, the BBC went in a completely unexpected direction, appointing Emma Willis, Johannes Radebe and Josh Widdicombe as a three-person presenting team. It was the first time in Strictly history that the show had named three hosts, and it represented one of the biggest changes to the programme’s format in its two-decade run. OddsBoom TV expert Dave James looks back at how the odds market played out and which names the bookmakers had in the frame before the surprise announcement.

    Why Did Strictly Need New Presenters?

    After more than two decades as the beloved faces of Strictly Come Dancing, both Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman stepped down from the show following the 2025 series. Winkleman had long signalled a desire to move on from long-running commitments, while Daly’s future on the show had been the subject of growing speculation throughout that year. Their departures brought to a close one of the most iconic presenting partnerships in British television history, and left the BBC with the significant challenge of finding a new team capable of carrying the show into a new era.

    The search for replacements quickly became one of the most talked-about entertainment betting markets of the year, drawing in casual fans and serious punters alike as the speculation built throughout the autumn and winter of 2025.

    Next Strictly Come Dancing Presenter Odds (Pre-Announcement)

    Odds sourced from Ladbrokes. Correct at time of original publication, December 2025.

    Presenter Odds Implied Chance
    Zoe Ball 11/8 42.1%
    Fleur East 2/1 33.3%
    Janette Manrara 3/1 25.0%
    Rylan Clark 5/1 16.7%
    Amanda Holden 6/1 14.3%
    Angela Scanlon 6/1 14.3%
    Bradley Walsh 7/1 12.5%
    Alison Hammond 8/1 11.1%
    Rob Rinder 9/1 10.0%
    Alan Carr 10/1 9.1%

    Zoe Ball at 11/8 Favourite (Did Not Get the Role)

    Zoe Ball topped the market at 11/8, giving her an implied probability of 42.1%, and the decision by Ladbrokes to suspend betting led almost the entire industry to assume that Ball was the BBC’s chosen candidate. Her departure from the Breakfast Show on BBC Radio 2 earlier in 2025 looked like a deliberate clearing of the schedule, and with her deep roots at the Corporation, her extensive live TV experience and a presenting style that felt naturally suited to the energy of the ballroom, the logic behind her favouritism was hard to argue with.

    As it turned out, the bookmakers got this one wrong, and it serves as a useful reminder that even a suspended market is not a guarantee of any particular outcome. Zoe Ball had also been heavily linked to the vacant slot covered in our Next Radio 2 Breakfast Show Presenter odds article, making her one of the most talked-about names in BBC broadcasting throughout the latter half of 2025.

    Fleur East at 2/1 (Did Not Get the Role)

    Fleur East was the second favourite at 2/1 and arguably the strongest insider candidate in the entire market, having joined Strictly as a contestant in 2022, reached the final, and then moved seamlessly into a co-hosting role on It Takes Two alongside Rylan Clark. Her familiarity with the show’s format, its judges and the pressures faced by celebrity contestants gave her a genuine edge over many of the other names in the market, and at 2/1 she looked like solid value for anyone who believed the BBC would promote from within the Strictly family.

    Janette Manrara at 3/1 (Did Not Get the Role)

    Janette Manrara has been a central part of the Strictly universe for many years, having taken over as sole host of It Takes Two in 2021 and grown into the role over several series. She brought warmth, genuine dancing knowledge and strong credibility with the show’s core fanbase, and at 3/1 she was firmly in the conversation as a candidate who would have been welcomed by viewers already familiar with her presenting style.

    Rylan Clark at 5/1 (Did Not Get the Role)

    Rylan Clark spent four years on It Takes Two and became one of its most popular presenters, building a reputation for quick humour and genuine enthusiasm for everything the show stands for. His 5/1 odds reflected both his well-established connection to the Strictly brand and a wider presenting career that has spanned both BBC and ITV over the past decade, yet despite being a strong fan favourite his name was absent from the final announcement.

    Amanda Holden at 6/1 (Ruled Herself Out)

    Amanda Holden attracted real attention at 6/1, but she ultimately ruled herself out before the BBC made their decision, citing her Britain’s Got Talent commitments as taking up too many weekends to make the Strictly role workable. She told reporters she was happy watching the show from her sofa and also publicly described the reported list of contenders as “boring”, which added a fair amount of colour to the pre-announcement period.

    The Rest of the Market

    Angela Scanlon was priced at 6/1 as a credible live presenter with strong BBC credentials, while Bradley Walsh at 7/1 would have been a popular choice with mainstream audiences, though his existing ITV commitments made a deal seem unlikely from the outset. Alison Hammond at 8/1 brings a natural warmth to everything she presents but is heavily tied to This Morning, and Rob Rinder at 9/1 was a Strictly alumni who impressed viewers during his 2016 run on the show. Alan Carr at 10/1 offered a quick-witted, fun personality that would have fitted comfortably into the ballroom atmosphere.

    Who Actually Got the Job?

    The BBC confirmed Emma Willis, Johannes Radebe and Josh Widdicombe as the new presenting trio for Strictly Come Dancing 2026, a decision that caught almost everyone off-guard given how strongly the market had pointed elsewhere. Willis brings years of mainstream presenting experience, most notably from The Voice, while Radebe steps up from his role as a professional dancer on the show to become the first pro to move into the main presenting team after eight years as part of the Strictly family. Widdicombe impressed producers during the 2024 Christmas special, where he danced the Charleston dressed as a penguin and received a ten from judge Anton Du Beke, and the new series is expected to air this autumn on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

    For more TV and entertainment odds, read our Next James Bond Odds 2026 feature and the latest BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show Presenter Odds. You can also look back at how the Strictly Come Dancing 2025 Final unfolded before the presenter shake-up began.

    All odds correct at time of original writing. Please gamble responsibly. For help with problem gambling visit GambleAware.org. 18+.

  • Swansea City 2-1 Wrexham: Welsh Derby Match Report, Goals and Season Review

    Swansea City 2-1 Wrexham: Welsh Derby Match Report, Goals and Season Review

    🕒 Originally published 19 December 2025. Updated with full match report and season context.

    Swansea City claimed bragging rights in the first Welsh Championship derby for 22 years with a dramatic 2-1 comeback win over Wrexham at the Swansea.com Stadium on Friday 19 December 2025. The result, settled in the final minutes of an absorbing contest between two sides who badly needed the points, gave Vitor Matos his third win since taking over as Swansea head coach the previous month and sent a crowd of 20,368 home in good spirits ahead of the Christmas break.

    The game had been billed as the most significant Welsh football fixture in a generation, the first competitive meeting between the two clubs since a goalless draw in March 2003, and it delivered on the drama with a Cameron Burgess own goal giving Wrexham the lead before Zan Vipotnik and Adam Idah turned it around in the second half.

    Match Details

    Detail Information
    Competition EFL Championship, Round 22
    Date Friday 19 December 2025
    Venue Swansea.com Stadium, Swansea
    Kick-off 20:00 GMT
    Broadcaster Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Football
    Attendance 20,368
    Referee Oliver Langford

    How to Watch Championship Football on TV

    The match was shown live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Football, with live streaming available through the Sky Sports app. For fans without a full Sky subscription, NOW offered contract-free day and monthly passes covering the full Sky Sports network. The fixture was part of the EFL’s five-year broadcasting deal with Sky, under which over 1,000 Championship, League One and League Two matches are shown live each season. For a full guide on how to follow Championship football on TV throughout the 2026/27 season, visit our Championship TV Schedule page.

    Swansea City 2-1 Wrexham: Match Report

    Wrexham made the better start on a cold Friday night in south Wales, looking sharper in the opening exchanges and taking a deserved lead after 14 minutes through a Cameron Burgess own goal. The Swansea defender inadvertently turned the ball into his own net to give Phil Parkinson’s side an advantage they held into half-time. Swansea dominated possession throughout the first period, finishing the match with 58.8 per cent of the ball, but they managed only three shots on target across the full 90 minutes and struggled to convert their territorial control into clear openings during the opening half.

    The second half was a different story. Swansea came out with greater urgency after the break and levelled through Zan Vipotnik on 70 minutes, the Slovenian striker converting with the sharp, instinctive finishing that had made him one of the most talked-about forwards in the division. With Wrexham beginning to tire, Swansea pushed for a winner and found it deep into stoppage time when Adam Idah turned home a decisive finish in the 90th minute to send the stadium into celebration and complete one of the more dramatic Welsh derby results in recent memory.

    Goals and Scorers

    Time Player Team Type
    14′ Cameron Burgess Swansea City Own Goal
    70′ Zan Vipotnik Swansea City Goal
    90′ Adam Idah Swansea City Goal

    Where Both Clubs Stood at the Time

    The fixture arrived at a difficult moment for both clubs. Swansea entered the game sitting 19th in the Championship table with 23 points from 21 matches and still deep in a managerial transition, with Alan Sheehan having been sacked on 11 November and Vitor Matos appointed from Maritimo on 24 November on a three-and-a-half-year deal. Matos was still working to settle his squad and build confidence in a group that had been low on form for weeks, and the win over Wrexham was only his third in charge since joining the club.

    Wrexham were in a stronger position on paper, sitting 15th with 28 points from 21 games and having lost just one of their previous 11 league fixtures. Phil Parkinson’s side had arrived in the Championship as part of one of the more extraordinary stories in English football, completing three consecutive promotions from the National League to the second tier in three seasons under the ownership of Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney. Their away form remained a concern heading into the derby, but on paper they were the more settled and confident side.

    Zan Vipotnik: Championship Top Scorer

    Vipotnik’s equaliser was part of a remarkable debut Championship season for the 24-year-old Slovenian striker, who ended the 2025-26 campaign as the division’s top scorer with 22 league goals and 24 in all competitions. Relatively unknown outside Slovenia and a brief spell in Portugal before arriving at the Swansea.com Stadium, his physical presence, movement inside the box and ability to score with both feet made him one of the standout players in the second tier all season. His performances attracted significant transfer interest heading into the summer of 2026.

    How Swansea City’s Season Ended

    Despite the difficult period around this match, Swansea finished 15th in the Championship at the end of the 2025-26 season, safe from relegation with a degree of comfort by the final weeks of the campaign. The club scored 67 goals across all competitions during the season, a figure that reflected the attacking quality available to Matos even during the club’s most uncertain moments. The season ended on a positive note with a 3-1 win over Charlton Athletic on the final day, with Adam Idah, who had scored the late winner against Wrexham in December, contributing a brace. The club’s biggest win of the season came in February 2026, a 4-0 defeat of Sheffield Wednesday, while an EFL Cup victory over Manchester City in October 2025 stood out as one of the highlights of the year for supporters.

    How Wrexham’s Season Ended

    Wrexham’s 2025-26 Championship campaign ended in heartbreak but also genuine pride. Phil Parkinson’s side finished seventh, two points short of the final play-off position, after a final day that went against them. Going into the last round of fixtures, Wrexham were level on points with Hull City in the race for sixth place and knew a result against Middlesbrough at the Racecourse Ground was needed to keep their play-off hopes alive. A 2-2 draw was not enough, as Hull won at Leicester to claim sixth on goal difference and went on to beat Middlesbrough at Wembley to earn promotion to the Premier League.

    Despite that final day disappointment, seventh place still represented the highest league finish in Wrexham’s 162-year history, surpassing their best previous finish of 15th in the second tier in 1978-79. Striker Kieffer Moore finished as one of their key performers alongside Josh Windass, who ended the season with 14 Championship goals, and the general view among supporters and pundits was that Wrexham would be serious play-off contenders again in 2026-27 after a season that showed they belong at this level.

    The Welsh Derby Rivalry

    The significance of this fixture went beyond the three points on offer. Swansea City and Wrexham had not met in a competitive fixture since March 2003, when the two clubs drew 0-0 in the Football League Third Division. The 22-year gap between meetings reflected very different journeys for both clubs. Swansea had risen from the lower leagues to the Premier League and back down to the Championship, while Wrexham had dropped out of the Football League altogether before Reynolds and McElhenney took over in 2020 and began the extraordinary run of promotions that brought them back to professional football and all the way to the second tier.

    The head-to-head record across their last ten meetings showed Wrexham winning five, Swansea winning four and one draw, so neither club held a commanding historical edge going into the December fixture. The 2-1 home win gave Vitor Matos a memorable early milestone in his tenure and gave Swansea supporters a result to savour from a difficult season overall.

    More Championship and Football on TV

    All Championship matches are broadcast live on Sky Sports as part of the EFL’s five-year deal with the broadcaster, with over 1,000 EFL matches shown live each season across Sky Sports Football, Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports+. ITV also shows ten live Championship matches per season alongside the weekly EFL Highlights programme on ITV4 every Saturday at 9pm. For full details on how to watch Championship football in 2026/27, visit our Championship TV Schedule guide. You can also find all upcoming televised fixtures on our Live Football on TV page.

    All match information correct at time of original publication. Please gamble responsibly. For help with problem gambling visit GambleAware.org. 18+.