Opportunities to back the English Premier League's big four at better odds than their market value are few and far between, but a couple are available tonight for the away trips of Manchester United and Arsenal.
Both teams are coming off disappointing midweek results in the Champions League but are capable of a significant boost to their performance levels with the return of key players tonight. United talisman Cristiano Ronaldo will be back for their visit to Tottenham in the late kick-off, while the early match will see Cesc Fabregas, Emmanuel Adebayor and Robin van Persie return for Arsenal's trip to Middlesbrough.
Ronaldo's importance to United has been demonstrated since his return to the starting line-up in late September. Having had a sticky start to the season without the Portuguese winger, averaging less than a goal per game, United have been in top form with Ronaldo in the team, winning 11 out of 16 in all competitions since his return.
That run is similar to their pre-Christmas form of last season, when they won 11 and drew one of their 12 Premier League games once Ronaldo had been restored to the starting line-up. This time they are slightly below that standard, with eight wins, two draws and one defeat in their first 11 league games with Ronaldo in the team, but the quality of the form is still of the highest class.
The sole defeat in that run was away at Arsenal, where United might have won with better luck, and the two draws were at Aston Villa and Everton, currently fifth and eighth respectively in the Premier League table. United's only other failures to win with Ronaldo in the team this season have been in the Champions League, which makes Everton the worst team to have stopped a Ronaldo-inspired United this season.
That indicates the minimum standard of form to which Tottenham must aspire if they are to cause an upset against United. Tottenham have clearly improved under Harry Redknapp and must be rated considerably better than their current 15th place in the table, but there are conflicting signals over where their form really puts them in the Premier League pecking order.