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There is something of a bandwagon forming for Keegan Bradley, his price has been steadily contracting for weeks now. He's certainly a player with a lot of nerve and a bright future but I'm surprised he is available at the same price in his three-ball as defending champion Charl Schwartzel 2.14. This is Bradley's debut at Augusta, Charl's extra experience will be hard to match on day one. No disrespect to amateur Kelly Kraft (the third member of the three ball) but this one looks a match.

Charl's great friend Louis Oosthuizen 2.86 suffered an unfortunate collapse on Sunday last week when leading the Shell Houston Open, however, he bounced back well towards the end of his round to finish solo third. That event is seen as a great warm-up for Augusta, it's a fairly similar test so I'm happy to overlook Oosthuizen's three missed Augusta cuts. He's clearly coming into this week in good form and it's his second Masters as a Major champion. His playing partners are Mark Wilson (who has a disappointing record in Majors) and Graeme McDowell who has also missed his last two cuts at the Masters.

I really like the look of Rickie Fowler's price 3.3 in his day one three ball. He played well without scoring great in Houston last time out, this was backed up by this quote from him afterwards "Embarrassing score on the weekend but my main goal this week was to get ready for Augusta... didn't show but I feel really good about my game". Fowler finished 38th on debut last year, look for him to improve on that this time around. He has a tough grouping for the first two days, with past champion Trevor Immelman and Justin Rose, but the price is right!

Angel Cabrera 4.3 has seen a flood of support following his early showing at the Shell Houston Open (opened with a 65), but the former Masters champion is really up against it on day one playing with wonder boy Rory McIlroy and the mercurial Bubba Watson, who has been in the top 20 on every single start this season (seven appearances). It's hard to see him finishing the day on top and is worth a lay at 4.3.

Recommended Bets
2pts Back Charl Schwartzel @ 2.1
2pts Back Louis Oosthuizen @ 2.86
1pt Back Rickie Fowler @ 3.3
1pt Lay Angel Cabrera @ 4.3

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Tournament History
The event was conceived by Bobby Jones, who had originally wanted to stage the US Open at Augusta. The oppressive Georgia summers meant a tournament in June was always going to be out of the question though and when the USGA refused to move the US Open to April, Jones decided to hold his own tournament and the Masters was born.

It started life as the Augusta National Invitation Tournament - a name that was to be changed five years after the first event in 1934. This will be the 76th staging of the US Masters and if it's anything like the last three we're in for a treat.

Eight different players held the lead on the final day last year, before Charl Schwartzel became the only man in history to birdie the last four holes to win. In 2010, Phil Mickelson secured an emotional win after his wife and mother's cancer scares and a year earlier three men, eventual winner Angel Cabrera, Chad Campbell, and Kenny Perry, fought out a dramatic playoff to decide the title.

Venue
Augusta National Golf Club, Augusta, Georgia

Course Details
Par 72, 7435 yards, stroke average in 2011 - 71.64

The brainchild of Rees Jones, Augusta National was founded by him and Clifford Roberts, a wealthy New York investment banker. Designed by Jones and Alister Mackenzie, Augusta National was built on the site of an old tree nursery and it officially opened in January 1933. It's now considered a national treasure and it's unquestionably one of the finest courses in the world and, in my eyes, it's the most beautiful.

The most famous stretch of holes is the run between the 11th and 13th, otherwise known as Amen Corner. There were just 19 birdies at the ultra tough par 4 11th hole last year and once again it ranked the hardest on the course. The par 3 12th is only 155 yards long but with water short and no easy second shot from long; this intimidating little hole always causes problems. Last year it ranked the third hardest. Once through 12 the players can relax a bit. The par 5 13th, measuring just 510 yards, is a genuine birdie/eagle chance and last year it was the easiest hole on the course.

TV Coverage
Live on Sky Sports all four days, 7.30pm on Thursday, 7.00pm on Friday, 8.00pm on Saturday and 6.30pm Sunday.

Live on BBC 2 over the weekend. 8.30pm on Saturday and 7.00pm on Sunday.

Last Five Winners
2011 - Charl Schwartzel -14
2010 - Phil Mickelson -16
2009 - Angel Cabrera -12 (playoff)
2008 - Trevor Immelman -8
2007 - Zach Johnson +1

What does it take to win the Masters?
With a number of right to left doglegs, an ability to shape tee-shots from right to left is a distinct advantage. Driving it long is a big plus too but it's not crucial. Schwartzel only ranked 40th for Driving Distance last year and the 2007 champ, Zach Johnson, was ranked 57th for DD. How you play the long holes is still key though. Schwartzel and Johnson may not have bombed it off the tee but they still ranked in the top-10 for Par 5 Performance.

With trees everywhere, it looks like a tight track when you're watching on TV but that's not the case, there's actually quite a bit of space and driving accuracy isn't that important. Of more importance, is accurate iron-play - finding the correct part of the greens will set up birdie opportunities. Missing greens is inevitable though and when you do, first-rate scrambling is required but the most important skill-set by a long way is putting. The sloping greens are lightning-fast and you don't get to don a green jacket unless you putt brilliantly for four days.

The last five winners have all come into the event under the radar so if you fancy someone who isn't in scintillating form don't worry about it, and if they're a huge price that's all the better - four of the five started the week at a triple-figure price.

Course form is very important. Other than the first two winners of the event, Fuzzy Zoeller (in 1979) is still the only debutante to win the event and most winners have been round Augusta National enough times to get to know it's unique nuances.

And last but not least, a good start is crucial. Augusta National is NOT a catch-up course and the last six winners have been no worse than 7th after day one.

Market Leaders
There isn't much to split the market leaders, with Tiger Woods at 6.2 just edging Rory McIlroy at 7.4 for favouritism. If I had to choose one of the two it would be Rory but neither appears to be trading at a value price to me.

After Tiger's cruise to victory at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, he's understandably popular and he has an outstanding record at Augusta. He already owns four green jackets and he's managed to finish in the top-four in each of the last two years, despite being out of form. But the fact remains that he hasn't won here since 2005 and he could easily find one or two outscore him once again.

Rory, on the other hand, has looked the real deal of late and he most certainly should have won last year. He didn't just blow it on day four either, he missed umpteen short putts early on in the event and in my eyes, he's the better bet of the two. That said, he will have to be at his best with the putter this week and that isn't a given. He only ranked 53rd for putting last time out at the WGC Cadillac Championship and if he putts that poorly here, he won't win.

Selections
Phil Mickelson
Lefty has a great record at the Masters and he's won the event three times in the last eight years. He comes here fresh from a top-4 finish at the Shell Houston Open but I'd got him onside way before then. I'm a huge Mickelson fan and he's already won for me this year at the AT & T Pebble Beach. I was on Ernie Els when he won his first green jacket in 2004 but I was aboard in both 2006 and 2010 and given how well he's playing again this year, there was no way I was going to desert him.

Luke Donald
I still have reservations about the world number one's ability to close out an event of this magnitude and he was one of those to hit the front on day four last year, but if he's ever going to bag a biggy, this could be the event, and this could be the year. A tiring but brilliant campaign in 2011 was followed by the birth of his second child and the sad death of his father and I wondered whether Luke might suffer a bit of a slump this year. He did. It lasted two months.

Lightly-raced so far this year, his last two tournament results have been a 6th placed finish at the WGC Cadillac Championship and a win last time out at the Transitions Championship. After opening up with a 68 on his event debut in 2005 he finished third, but he hasn't bettered 72 in any first round since. Last year he finished in a tie for 4th but it was a long slog up the leaderboard form a tie for 31st after day one and he'll need a better start this time around. If he does start well, he's sure to contend and I felt I had to get him onside.

K.J Choi
With years of course experience under his belt, K.J Choi now plays Augusta superbly (8th last year and 4th in 2010) but the putter has ultimately cost him his chance of victory. Like Donald, he too hit the front on day four last year but too many missed short putts cost him dearly. He's putted quite well recently though, ranking 16th and 10th in his last two events, and given that he only secured his biggest career win (the Players Championship) last year, the likable Korean veteran might just surprise this year.

Geoff Ogilvy
No Australian has won the Masters but Geoff could well be the man to break the hoodoo. A fast-finishing 4th last year, Ogilvy has a respectable event record. And as a US Open champion and a multiple World Golf Championship winner, he has the ability to pop up in the big events.

Angel Cabrera
The 2009 champion also featured last year, playing in the final pairing with Rory, he dropped away to finish 7th. He found some form at last week's Shell Houston Open, clearly love Augusta and is a big price at triple-figures.

Trevor Immelman
Trevor's another past champ with excellent course form at a huge price. 20th is the worst he's finished since he took the title in 2008, despite being dogged by injury and often woefully out of form. He comes here this year on the back of an 11th placed finish at the Arnold Palmer invitational, where he ranked 2nd for scrambling and 12th for putting. He's most definitely no forlorn hope.

Y.E Yang
Yang looked like challenging the day one lead last year before bogeying the last two holes to shoot 67. That disappointing finish seemed to throw him completely and he failed to better 72 in the last three rounds but his 8th placed finish in 2010 shows he can play the course. He was the only player to put up any sort of fight to Rory at last year's US Open and he famously out-battled Tiger to win the PGA Championship in 2009. He's as tough as teak, he can rise to the big occasion and he's too big at 200.0.

Miguel Angel Jimenez
The Spanish veteran has finished inside the top-12 on four occasions and he's in reasonably good order again this year. This is the first staging of the Masters since Seve finally succumbed to cancer and I know I'm a sentimental fool, but what a story it would be if Miguel were to win.

US Masters Selections:
Phil Mickelson @ 14.5
Luke Donald @ 18.0
K.J Choi @ 80.0
Geoff Ogilvy 140.0
Trevor Immelman @ 160.0
Angel Cabrera @ 180.0
Y.E Yang @ 200.0
Miguel Angel Jimenez@ 300.0

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Barcelona v AC Milan, 7.45pm, live on Sky Sports 2

Barcelona

Xavi is the star of the team news this week. He missed a public training session on Monday and Pep Guardiola says his participation will be decided as late as possible.

There has also been some discussion about whether the coach will play three or four defenders, but, as Michael Cox has explained, that is a largely academic debate.

Lionel Messi's astonishing goal records have been well documented recently - age 24, he's just become his club's all-time top-scorer - and he's been particularly sharp in the Champions League of late, scoring 30 times in his last 26 matches. Opta offers one small cause for pause, however: Messi converted a penalty against Milan in the group stage, but has not scored from open play in any of his seven appearances against Italian teams.

AC Milan

The consensus is that the 0-0 first-leg result was a good one for Milan, but that is probably an overstatement. It might be a better result for them than was expected by many - including this column - but Champions League and European Cup history has shown Opta that only one in three teams (34/98 in total) that has drawn a first-leg match 0-0 at home has gone on to win their tie.

A somewhat smaller sample shows that Milan themselves have actually won 3/3 ties from this situation. This week, however, Massimiliano Allegri will not be helped by the absence of central defender Thiago Silva.

Match Odds

There is no doubt that Barcelona deserve to be strong favourites. Guardiola's men have won 20/23 competitive games at the Camp Nou this season, while Milan have won only one of their last ten on the road in the Champions League. The 3-0 defeat to Arsenal in the last round was a particularly poor performance.

Five of those ten games have at least been scoring draws. Another one would be good enough to see the Italians into the semi-finals, but Barca's home form is too good and their focus too sharp to countenance something like a repeat of September's 2-2 result here.

Nineteen of Barca's 20 home wins this season have come by margins of at least two goals. Backing them to beat a 1.5-goal handicap looks a good way of increasing your payout here. They will press the opposition hard from the first whistle, as ever, and the value of an away goal for Milan means they will not be comfortable with any sort of one-goal lead.

Over/Under Goals

Champions League games at the Camp Nou have not been as high-scoring as some might imagine: since Guardiola arrived 12/23 have gone Over 2.5 Goals.

Six of the ten games that constitute Milan's poor run of form have stayed Under 2.5 Goals.

Recommended Bet: Back Barcelona -1.5 @ 1.80

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Hull v Coventry

I still think, given their home form and the games they have left at the Ricoh Arena, that Coventry can be laid for relegation at 1.91.

And a point or three is well within their reach in this game to aid their cause. I've made plenty of the fact that the Sky Blues have not won on the road all season, and I'm certainly not confident enough to go all out for an away win. But Andy Thorn's side have drawn their last two away games, most notably a fine 2-2 result at Cardiff. That has helped them go five without a defeat - they appear to have found a way to make themselves hard to beat at just the right time.

Hull, on the other hand, are on the slide. They were fifth at the end of January, but a run of one win in 10 has seen them drop to ninth. They have not won at home in four attempts, and have only managed one goal in their last four outings.

Lay Hull @ 1.82


Portsmouth v Burnley

You have to admire Pompey. They have had just about every possible problem thrown at them lately, and yet they are still only a win away from clambering out of the relegation zone. Michael Appleton's side beat Hull in the week, adding to another excellent home win seven days earlier against Birmingham. Those two successes have kept Appleton's side within touching distance of 21st place, and with four of their last seven games at Fratton Park, home form could be decisive.

They certainly have a chance of three points in this one, as Burnley have not been pulling up trees lately. The Clarets have not won in seven outings, and their recent away form is poor: four defeats and a draw in the last five

Back Portsmouth @ 2.3


West Ham v Reading

With Southampton seemingly having one foot in the Premier League, this game is huge in terms of deciding who goes up with them. Victory for the Hammers and they regain second place at a key stage of the season - a draw or a win for the Royals, and they will remain in the box seat.

The Hammers shook off their drawitis at Peterborough in midweek, but they have clearly struggled to win at home recently: five successive draws at Upton Park. Most interestingly, they have not scored more than once in any of them, and it's difficult to picture either side romping away with this one.

Could it be a high-scoring draw? Unlikely given that seven of the Hammers' last nine at home have paid out on Under 2.5 Goals a game. Neither side can really afford to throw caution to the wind, and you'd think if either get in front, they'll be tempted to protect what they have.

Back Under 2.5 Goals @ 1.78

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Atletico Madrid vs Hannover 96, 20:05, Live on ITV4

Both of these sides have every reason to be confident ahead of this tie, after they crushed their respective opponents in the previous round. Atletico disposed of Besiktas 6-1 on aggregate, with promising Argentine forward Eduardo Salvio scoring three times in the tie. Atletico have played seven home games in this season's Europa League, and they have won them all. The timely return from injury of Brazilian puppet-master Diego has given extra firepower to a team that's failed to score just once in Europe this term.

Hannover drew 2-2 at Standard Liege in the first leg, before battering their Belgian opponents 4-0 at the AWD Arena, a ground where Mirko Slomka's men have lost just once all season. If Hannover are to have a chance of progressing to the semis (they are priced at a hefty 3.55 to do so), then they know they'll have to somehow grind out a result in Madrid that keeps them in the hunt ahead of the second leg.

Hannover have toughened up on their travels in recent weeks, but in general their record away from their Lower Saxony fortress is uninspiring. They have lost seven away games in the Bundesliga (including their last three), winning just two. In the Europa League they have picked up decent wins at Club Brugge and FC Copenhagen, but Atletico are in a superior class of opponent.

Atletico deserve to be firm favourites at 1.52, and it's tough to make a case for a different outcome. Since Diego Simeone grasped the reins at the Vicente Calderon, the combative Colchoneros have failed to win a home game just twice, and those matches were against top-three sides Barcelona and Valencia.

Over/under 2.5 goals

When Simeone first arrived he focused on making Atleti tough to beat, but in recent weeks he's opened things up, and three of Atleti's last four home games have featured over 2.5 goals. Hannover have plenty of attacking threats, but I have doubts about their defence against top quality attacks. Hannover have recently visited Bayern Munich, Werder Bremen and Borussia Dortmund, and they conceded at least twice in each match. Back over 2.5 goals at 1.78.

Atleti to fly out of the traps?

Atleti will be keen to make the most of their home advantage, and in their home leg against Besiktas they were 3-0 up in just 37 minutes. In those recent losses in Munich, Bremen and Dortmund Hannover trailed at half-time, so back Atletico/Atletico in the HT/FT market at 2.28.

Recommended Bet: Back over 2.5 goals at 1.78

Best Bet: Back Atletico/Atletico in the HT/FT market at 2.28

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AC Milan v Barcelona, 19:45 (Live on ITV)

AC Milan

Massimiliano Allegri's team are top of Serie A, but have been as good on the road (W10/15) as they have at the San Siro (W9/14). In 2012 Inter, Juventus (twice) and Napoli have all avoided defeat away to Milan in domestic competitions.

With Robinho and Pato sidelined by injury, the spotlight is on Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who has scored on five of his six Champions League appearances this season.

Another ex-Barcelona player, Mark van Bommel, is banned for this match. The Dutchman scored an own goal when these two met in Italy in the group stage and might not be missed as much as Thiago Silva.

Barcelona

The Spanish champions won here in the group stages (3-2). Some terrific recent form helps make them favourites to win the first leg, the second leg, the tie and indeed the whole of this season's Champions League.

Pep Guardiola's squad contains some players on the long-term injured list - David Villa, Ibrahim Afellay, among others - but the Blaugrana have been achieving excellent results without them.

Lionel Messi is fit and, like always, raring to go. He's scored on each of his last eight club appearances and in all four of their Champions League away games this season.

Match Odds

Barcelona are battling history - Milan are unbeaten in 14 previous quarter-final home games in the European Cup and Champions League - but are good enough to come out on top.

Guardiola's team are on a winning streak of nine in all competitions. They've also won their last six Champions League away games. Together, those 15 victories make a compelling case for the visitors.

If you're after an odds-against bet, think about backing Barca to be ahead at half-time and full-time. Barcelona/Barcelona has paid out in 14 of those 15 wins.

Over/Under 2.5 Goals

Barcelona are the Champions League's most profilic scorers this season (30 goals in eight games, 15 in four away from home). Having conceded 11 times in their eight matches, Milan have statistically the worst defence of any still left in the competition.

There were nine goals in the two group-stage meetings and Over 2.5 Goals is a worthy 1.75 favourite.

Recommended Bets: Back Barcelona/Barcelona @ 2.8; back Lionel Messi To Score @ 1.8

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Tottenham v Bolton, 19:30, ESPN

Though Spurs are now without a league win in five, a creditable goalless draw at Stamford Bridge suggests they are the over the worst of their slump.

Securing Champions League football might remain their priority but the small matter of a potential Wembley semi-final against Chelsea should help concentrate their minds.

In spite of their recent wobble, Tottenham's home form remains very respectable. Spurs have won three of their last five at the Lane, while the two Manchester clubs remain the only teams to have won at Tottenham in domestic football this season.

Tottenham are unbeaten against Bolton in eight meetings at White Hart Lane, seven of which they have won. And Bolton's away record is none too impressive. Owen Coyle's side have lost four of their previous five contests on the road, scoring just twice in the process.

The visitors will however be buoyed by their crucial win over Blackburn which saw Bolton climb out of the bottom three. And while they will no doubt be desperate to put on another good show in tribute to Fabrice Muamba, one suspects this will prove a step too far.

Total Tottenham goals

Harry Redknapp's side have scored three or more in three of their last five home games and have achieved the same feat in each of their last five FA Cup ties at White Hart Lane. Bolton fell to a 3-0 defeat at Tottenham earlier in the campaign and have conceded three times in two of their previous four league outings on the road. Tottenham are 1.95 to put at least three past Adam Bogdan in the Bolton goal.

Jermain Defoe to score at any time

Spurs' diminutive striker has something of a reputation as a cup specialist and Opta note he has already netted three times in this season's competition - all of those strikes coming at White Hart Lane. Defoe has 15 goals to his name this season and is 2.36 to add to his tally on Tuesday.

Best Bet: Tottenham to score three or more @ 1.95
Other Recommended Bet: Jermain Defoe to score at any time @ 2.36

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Peterborough v West Ham

I'm a massive believer in digging out current form, short-term trends and recent results when looking for bets in the all-too-unpredictable world of the Championship.

But with this one I am shifting slightly, simply because even allowing for their indifferent recent form, the Hammers should be able to win this. If they don't, then their game in hand is spent and they will be at least a win behind the top two. And let's be honest, even though their recent form is no wins in five attempts, this is a West Ham side that has not lost in 10 league games, dating back to January 31.

The fact they have drawn seven and only won three of them is the reason why we can back a team arguably stronger than any in this division at 2.06 to win at a side that was playing League One last season and has itself only won three in 15.

Despite having more strikers on the books than on your average picket line, Hammers' boss Sam Allardyce bemoans the fact his side are failing to their chances and kill opponents off. Yet the Hammers have still found the net in each of their last eight away games, and in this fixture will face the team with the next-to-worst home defensive record in the division.

Peterborough have conceded a goal in all but two of their 18 league games at London Road, and they have a poor record against teams in the top four, losing five of the six they have played so far. Equally telling in the fact that the Hammers have won 10 of 13 so far against teams in the bottom third of the table. At the price available, you have to back the away win.

Back West Ham @ 2.06


Ipswich v Middlesbrough

Mid-September must feel like a lot more than six months ago to Middlesbrough fans. Back then, they were top of the table and in the midst of an unbeaten 11-game start to the season. But a thinner-than-preferable squad has hit Tony Mowbray's side in the second half of the season, and since the turn of the year they have won only four of 14 and are now battling to cling onto a play-off place. They are currently without a win in four, and could only draw with a very out-of-form Bristol City side at the weekend.

Ipswich, on the other hand, are on song: they were unbeaten in five before losing 2-1 at Watford on Saturday, and having seen that game, I must admit they could have been well on the way to three points if they had taken the first-half chances they created. Instead, they didn't kill the Hornets off and were punished after the break.

However, it's home results that have been the foundation for the Tractor Boys' recent good run - five consecutive wins and 15 goals in the process. That sequence included resounding wins over the likes of West Ham and Cardiff, and with Boro looking fragile at the moment, they can extend it to six at a decent price.

Back Ipswich @ 2.3


Crystal Palace v Doncaster

If they could have scored goals as readily as they have stopped them at home, surely Crystal Palace would be in the promotion shake-up. The Eagles have the best home defensive record in the division, and have kept 10 clean sheets in their 18 league games at Selhurst Park. But they don't go on and win games often enough: half of those 18 have ended in a draw.

More recently, though, they have found how to turn a shut-out into three points, winning three of their last four in front of their home fans and not conceding in any of them. A win here, and they will be only four points shy of the play-off places.

So, what might help a team that knows how to keep opponents out, but then struggles to score the goals to beat them? Well, how about a visit from the worst travelling defence in the division? Doncaster have been conceding goals at a rate of more than two a game on their travels all season long. They have let in a goal or more in all but one of their 19 away games - in fact, they have shipped two or more in 15 of them. Don't expect Palace to dish out a thrashing, but they look a decent bet to win.

Back Crystal Palace @ 1.82

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Having overcome Napoli against all odds in the second leg of their last 16 clash Chelsea will travel to Lisbon to face Benfica this week believing they can make it to the last four for the first time since 2009.

The market certainly think so. Chelsea go into the tie as 1.58 favourites to qualify, with Benfica 2.68. But to get anything out of this week's game, Chelsea will need to improve on their away record of W0-D2-L3 in their last five Champions League away matches. Those problems on the road, plus Benfica's outstanding record of just one defeat in their last eight home games against English opposition, suggest Chelsea's price of 3.3 to win on Tuesday night is justified.

Benfica at 2.44 and the draw at 3.35 look the smart picks in the match market, but goals are a stronger bet on this game. As Opta stats reveal, Benfica have scored in 16 of their last 17 European games excluding qualifiers, while Chelsea have scored in nine successive games, their best run in European history. In each of their previous six encounters against Portuguese opposition (all FC Porto), Chelsea scored at least once.

The last round also points towards goals: Benfica lost 3-2 at Zenit St Petersburg, while Chelsea's 90-minute scorelines against Napoli were 3-1 defeat (away) and 3-1 win (home).

The selections worth looking at are 'Yes' in the Both Teams to Score? market at 1.91. Over 2.5 goals at 2.3 and 3.5 Goals at 4.3.

Finally, if you're looking for a player to score those goals, Didier Drogba is your man. The Ivory Coast international has scored four goals in Chelsea's last four Champions League matches. He'll be available to score any time at around 3.3.

Best Bet: Over 2.5 Goals @ 2.3
Other Recommended Bets: 'Yes' in Both Teams to Score? market @ 1.91; Didier Drogba in 'To Score' market @ 3.3.

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For Liverpool the season gets stranger and stranger. There is more silverware in the trophy room, an FA Cup semi-final at Wembley awaits, but league form lurches from bad worse. Were it any other manager at the helm, the natives would be getting restless, but as it is Kenny Dalglish who is in charge, normal rules don't apply.

Once upon a time, any form of silverware would serve as job insurance for another season, but in an era in which the Champions League is the all-important money-spinning holy grail for Europe's leading clubs, the League Cup is small beer.
Even the FA Cup has lost much of its lustre, last year's 1-0 victory for Manchester City against Stoke a lowlight in the calendar both in terms of the quality of the match and the outcome. There was a time when the FA Cup was all-important, when two thirds of the nation's television output was devoted entirely to the build-up to the big day. After a long affair, however, the romance is gone.

Heads are now only really turned by the Champions League. The anthem, the floodlights, the Camp Nou, the kudos. Nothing else really compares, except perhaps for winning the title. And Liverpool, despite the vast sums have spent, seem as distant from that as ever.

So the question is, just how many league matches do Liverpool have to lose before Dalglish's credit runs out? Does he need to win the FA Cup to consider this a successful season? Would defeat to Everton in the FA Cup semi-final, assuming they overcome Sunderland in the last-eight stage, cause the board to review their coach's position?

These are genuine questions, not barbed pot-shots designed at denigrating a manager's name. The fact remains, though, that Liverpool have lost five of their last six matches - the last two defeats coming against relegation-embattled clubs - in their worst run since January 2005. Can you imagine what the reaction would have been if Roy Hodgson was still in charge?

Hodgson, incidentally, is second favourite to Harry Redknapp for the England job after yet another example of miracle working at West Brom. The former Inter Milan and Blackburn coach never stood a chance at Liverpool because he was in charge of a club in the process of being sold, had minimal backing in the transfer market (he spent £24m and recoupled £26m) and was having to work under the shadow of his eventual successor, the then academy director Dalglish.

King Kenny, meanwhile, has spent £117m (£76m recouped) on seven players who have so far failed to deliver (unless you count a League Cup which Birmingham won last season before getting relegated). The Reds are seventh in the table, just two points clear of Everton and Sunderland - and three of Norwich and Swansea. Indeed, Dalglish's league record this season reads as follows: W11, D9:L10, or in other words W37% D 30% L33%. Hodgson's read: W7 D4 L9 or W35% D20% L45%. Under anyone else's tenure, this would be a disaster.

BBC pundits Alan Hansen and Mark Lawrenson seldom hold back when putting the boot into teams in the mire, but both former Liverpool team-mates of Dalglish were conspicuous by their absence from Match of the Day last night. It seems that not even the neutral media are prepared to damage the legacy of a living footballing institution.

At least Dalglish had the good grace to front up to the press, unlike Roberto Mancini, who sent his stooge David Platt out to field questions form the press after a 1-1 draw at Stoke that handed the title initiative to Manchester United. A sharp man with a quick tongue, Dalglish normally holds his own against anything reporters throw at him, but the wily Scot was scraping the barrel on Saturday, when he passed the Wigan reverse off as "the price you pay for success". Seriously, what?

"'If you play Sunday-Wednesday-Saturday it's going to take its toll," claimed the 60-year-old, presumably referring to the herculean triumphs against Cardiff and Stoke.

"Whether that's the price you have to pay for success or a demanding TV schedule, I don't know. We're disappointed because a lot of the final balls in good positions we didn't deliver. Put that down to tiredness."

Didn't Liverpool concentrate on buying young players like Andy Carroll, Jordan Henderson and players in their prime like Stewart Downing, Charlie Adam and Luis Suarez so that they could endure the rigours of a long season? And how on earth does Dalglish think his side would fare if his team actually got into the Champions League, if his multi-million pound squad can't handle minor domestic cup assignments?

No one wants to see more managerial casualties in a business which places too much stock in short-term results and Dalglish, like everyone, should be given time to make his stamp on the side, but managers should also all be judged with equanimity and at the moment the silence that has greeted King Kenny's recent failings has been deafening.

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