Deco (centre) - decent value at 7/1 to score.
BLUES CAN CRUISE TO TOP SPOT
By Jonathan Turner
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It's a strangely low-key night in the Champions League on Wednesday for British hopefuls Chelsea and Manchester United.
Both sides are already qualified and they face teams in Porto and Besiktas respectively who don't have a great deal to play for themselves.
Porto have already qualified but a win in Lisbon will see them leapfrog the Blues into top spot in Group D with a round of matches to go.
However it's been clear in the build up to this game that Chelsea aren't going to be taking the match lightly.
Carlo Ancelotti spelled that out when he said: "It is an important game against Porto. We want to be in the first position in the group and this is the decisive game.
"We have to put out the best line-up. Afterwards we have time to rest and prepare for Arsenal (at the weekend)."
The Blues were in stunning form last weekend when they blitzed Wolves 4-0, wrapping the points up inside 25 minutes as they raced into a 3-0 lead.
The margin of victory could easily have been greater and what has been just as impressive about the Blues recently has been the team spirit which could hardly be better.
The players seem to relish playing for Ancelotti and Saturday's win was achieved without the likes of Frank Lampard, Didier Drogba, Michael Ballack and Deco among others which underlines the strength in depth at Stamford Bridge right now.
Ballack and Deco should definitely be back to face Porto while Drogba will start on the bench..
And with all that in mind there might just be a bit of mileage in backing them at 6/4 to get the job done at the Estadio do Dragao.
Chelsea won the reverse fixture a touch cosily - the scoreline was only 1-0 but Porto's Helton was much the busier keeper and the Blues were also without Drogba that night too.
And while Chelsea have been in stunning form in the Premier League, Porto have stalled recently in their domestic league.
They lost 1-0 at Maritimo at the weekend and before that were held 1-1 at home by struggling Belenenses, those dropped points leaving them five points off the pace set by Benfica and Braga.
They've managed just one clean sheet in their last five games which also contrasts sharply with Chelsea's six in their last seven.
So while motivation isn't quite what it might be for either side, Chelsea look to have the greater incentive and in current form don't look a bad price at 6/4.
And we're also keen to risk a point on Deco scoring anytime at 7/1.
He's really thrived this season and has found the net in three of his 12 competitive matches for the Blues.
That's as many goals as he managed all last season and, with Lampard out and Drogba almost certainly not starting, he could easily get a more advanced role just behind Nicolas Anelka.
We're nothing like as keen to get involved with United's clash at home to Besiktas for which the Red Devils are on offer at no better than 2/5.
Last season's beaten finalists have been solid rather than spectacular this season - both in Europe and domestically - and even Old Trafford hasn't been the fortress it once was.
They needed two late goals to salvage a 3-3 draw with CSKA Moscow last time out at the Theatre of Dreams and also had to come from behind when they beat Wolfsburg 2-1 there earlier in Group B.
And, unlike Chelsea, United will throw in the youngsters for Wednesday's fixture, with the likes of Danny Welbeck, Gabriel Obertan, Federico Macheda and Darron Gibson all pencilled in for a start.
It was 1-0 to United in a scrappy reverse fixture against Besiktas and that game sums up the Turks' campaign so far.
They've scored just once and conceded only six goals but that all equates to a solitary point, meaning they will almost certainly finish bottom of the section.
Looking elsewhere and we were toying with the idea of taking the 4/5 about four of more goals in Real Madrid v FC Zurich.
It was 5-2 to Real in the reverse fixture and the Spanish side are just starting to run into some decent form again and could also be boosted by the return of Christiano Ronaldo.
Real's four games in the Champions League have produced 17 goals while Zurich's have racked up 16, with the Swiss side thrashed 6-1 last time out at Marseille.
Group C remains wide open too which means both sides have plenty to play for but just a couple of factors put us off getting involved.
First up is the fact that realistically Ronaldo is more likely to come on as a late sub rather than start the game and while he's been absent the goals have largely dried up for Real.
And secondly there's the small matter of a clash with Barcelona looming at the weekend so Real could easily be looking to ease up if the opportunity arises.
A better option could prove to be backing both sides to score in CSKA Moscow v Wolfsburg.
The second qualifying spot from Group B is up for grabs and this is a clash between two sides who struggle to keep clean sheets.
Wolfsburg have scored 25 goals but conceded 23 in the Bundesliga while CSKA are in danger of running on empty in the final stretch of their domestic season.
They won 3-2 against title hopefuls Spartak Moskva on Saturday but now need to make do without suspended defender Deividas Semberas who has started every game since Leonid Slutski took over as manager and given them real solidity.
It was 3-1 to the Germans when the pair met in Germany which means CSKA need the win this week, but Armin Veh has stressed that Wolfsburg won't just be playing for a point and we're taking the hint as 3/4 about both teams finding the net looks a fair price.
Preview posted at 2020GMT on 24/11/2009
