Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez is worried relegation-threatened Wigan may try rough-house tactics against his Premier League top-four chasers at the DW Stadium on Monday (Wigan 9/2 draw 11/4 Liverpool 8/13 match betting).

The Spaniard is convinced the number of injuries picked up by players in the Premier League is proof that the English game is the most physical and is worried referees are under too much pressure to make the right decisions.

Latics are just three points above third-from-bottom Hull and in danger of being sucked into the relegation zone (Wigan 7/2 To Be Relegated).

Liverpool will take fourth spot if they come away with victory but Benitez has warned his players to expect a difficult night.

“The Premier League is always physical and they will want to keep going in this way,” he said. “It depends on the referees in the end. We have to analyse this carefully because it’s true we have too many serious injuries.”

He added: “I am a little bit worried about this, but there are people at the top who have to decide and to analyse what is best for the game.”

England right-back Glen Johnson, who has been out since the end of December because of a knee injury, could make his return.

Don’t miss your chance to check out Premier League match betting opportunities and ante-post football bets on totesport.com.

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson feels Wayne Rooney is to blame for the knee injury which could rule him out of Saturday’s Premier League trip to Wolverhampton Wanderers (Wolves 9/1, United 3/10, draw 4/1 weekend coupon).

The Red Devils chief was unhappy that the 24-year-old striker agreed to play for England in Wednesday’s 3-1 international frienly win against Egypt at Wembley, despite carrying a slight knee problem following last Sunday’s Carling Cup final win against Aston Villa.

Following his 86-minute run-out for the Three Lions, top scorer Rooney (3/10 Premier League Top Goalscorer) is a doubt for United’s trip to Molineux and Ferguson feels his player was at fault rather than England coach Fabio capello.

“I don’t think he should have played,” he said.

“It is his own enthusiasm that has caused it. His problem is that he can’t say no.

“He told us on Sunday he was feeling his knee. Then all of a sudden people put an arm around his shoulder with England and he wants to play.

“Fabio Capello has to pick his best team. A win was important so I don’t blame him at all.

“I was more disappointed with Wayne. Why didn’t he come off? I cant believe it.”

Make sure you keep a regular check on the totesport.com football betting markets for the remainder of the season.

Manchester United (6/4 with totesport to win the Premier League title) will be without Michael Owen for the rest of the season, after the striker was told he needs an operation on a hamstring injury.

The former Real Madrid star pulled up during the first-half of Sunday’s Carling Cup final, having scored the equaliser against Aston Villa, and had to be replaced by Wayne Rooney.

Scans revealed Owen will need surgery to cure the problem and the injury looks set to end his hopes of featuring for England (11/2 to win the 2010 World Cup) in South Africa this summer.

Sir Alex Ferguson revealed: “It is a terrible blow for the lad. It is more serious than we thought. I think the heavy pitch at Wembley played some part, but it’s also bad luck.”

Despite not being a regular starter for United, the 30-year-old has scored nine goals in all competitions this season.

Make sure you keep a regular check on the totesport.com football betting markets for the remainder of the season.

Hull City goalkeeper Boaz Myhill says he remains confident the Tigers (11/10 with totesport to be relegated) will be able to fight their way out of Premier League trouble and avoid the drop this season.

Having lost their last two games, Hull (13/2 to win at Goodison Park) have slipped into the bottom three and they go in search of their first away win of the season at in-form Everton (1/3) this Sunday.

Wales international Myhill admits that it is hard to enjoy the game when it is a constant fight against the drop, but he believes the side have enough quality to avoid the drama of last season - when they survived on the final day of the campaign.

The former Aston Villa man told the Hull Daily Mail: “There is so much at stake. Everybody fights for everything and it will go down to the last few games of the season for half-a-dozen teams.”

Phil Brown’s men have 11 games left this season, with five at home and six away, including games against fellow relegation battlers Portsmouth, Burnley, Sunderland and Wigan.

Make sure you keep a regular check on totesport.com’s football betting markets in the run-in to the end of the domestic campaign.

Hibernian striker Anthony Stokes has been called up by Republic of Ireland for the injured Robbie Keane for Tuesday’s international friendly against Brazil at Emirates Stadium (Republic of Ireland 9/2 draw 5/2 Brazil 8/15 - match betting).

On-loan striker Keane aggravated a knee injury in Celtic’s defeat by Rangers on Sunday and pulled out of the squad later that night.

Republic manager Giovanni Trapattoni could give Portsmouth’s Marc Wilson and Manchester City’s Greg Cunningham their debuts, while experienced pair Richard Dunne and Damien Duff both played on Sunday.

Dunne was part of the Aston Villa side that lost to Manchester United in the Carling Cup final on a heavy Wembley pitch, while Fulham winger Duff played in the goalless draw at Sunderland.

Wigan’s James McCarthy (16/1 First and Last Goalscorer) did not train on Sunday because of an ankle injury but he remains in line to win a first cap after refusing to switch allegiance to his native Scotland.

“Scotland never chose me. I wasn’t good enough,” said McCarthy on Sunday.

“Ireland picked me in their (youth) squads. Sean McCaffrey picked me in those squads and I was delighted and all my family are happy with it.”

Don’t miss your chance to get involved in the international friendly match coupon and ante-post football betting opportunities on totesport.com.

Carling Cup hero Wayne Rooney is a doubt for the international friendly against Egypt on Wednesday (England 3/10 draw 16/5 Egypt 8/1 - match betting) because of a knee injury, according to Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson.

The red-hot England striker took his goals tally to 28 in all competitions (Rooney 3/10 Premier League Top Goalscorer) this season with a winning header in the 2-1 victory over Aston Villa at Wembley on Sunday.

The 24-year-old was introduced from the substitutes’ bench just before half-time for the injured Michael Owen, who now faces three weeks out because of a hamstring injury, and Ferguson revealed Rooney had been playing with some discomfort for a few weeks.

“He got a whack right away,” Ferguson said. “He has been complaining about that for a few weeks and I thought we might have to take him off.

“The doctors are assessing it. I don’t know what England are going to do.”

England manager Fabio Capello is expected to make a decision on Rooney’s availability for Wednesday’s visit of the African Nations Cup winners in the next 24 hours.

Don’t miss your chance to check out the midweek international firendly coupon and ante-post football betting opportunities on totesport.com.

Arsenal struck with two late goals to close the gap on Premier League leaders Chelsea to just three points after a 3-1 success at Stoke, although the win came at a cost as Aaron Ramsey suffered a horrific leg injury.

The Gunners (now 11/4 to win the title) had to come from behind after Danny Pugh’s eighth-minute header from Rory Delap’s throw in, but Nicklas Bendtner levelled matters before half-time.

Midway through the second period, Ramsay suffered his injury for which Ryan Shawcross was sent off although the visitors left it late before making the extra man count.

Cesc Fabregas converted a last minute penalty after Bendtner’s through-ball struck Pugh’s arm before Thomas Vermaelen scored four minutes into stoppage time to seal the victory.

The result means there is a genuine three-horse title race following nine-man Chelsea’s 4-2 defeat at home to Manchester City earlier in the day, with the gap now down to three points.

Roberto Manccini’s men came-from-behind to inflict the league leaders’ first home defeat of the season, with Carlos Tevez and Craig Bellamy scoring twice for the Citizens and Frank Lampard bagging two for the Blues.

Juliano Belletti and Michael Ballack saw red for the home side who failed to extend their advantage over Manchester United - in action in the Carling Cup final on Sunday.

City (8/11 to win the Premier League W/O Big 4) meanwhile have of course strengthened their grip on a top-four place, pulling three points clear of Tottenham (3/1) and four ahead of Liverpool and Aston Villa (3/1), although Martin O’Neill’s men do have a game in hand.

Wayne Bridge will have no problem facing Chelsea and John Terry when Manchester City travel to take on the Premier League leaders on Saturday, according to team-mate Shay Given (Chelsea 4/9 draw 11/4 Man City 11/2 - match betting).

City full-back Bridge announced on Thursday he did not wish to be considered for England’s World Cup squad because he felt his presence would be “untenable and potentially divisive” in the wake of allegations about former Stamford Bridge team-mate Terry and his ex-partner Vanessa Perroncel.

Terry, who who stripped of the captaincy by Fabio Capello, will come face-to-face with Bridge for the first time on Saturday since his private life hit the front pages.

Given says Bridge (40/1 First and Last Goalscorer) will handle the situation and is in no doubt his focus will be on the job of returning City to winning ways following their FA Cup exit.

“He’s fine and he’s looking forward to the game and hopefully getting a good result,” said Given.

“It’s a massive game for everyone at the club, including Wayne. Shaun Wright-Phillips is going back to his old club as well and they are both looking forward to it.”

Don’t miss your chacnce to check out this weekend’s Premier League coupon and football betting opportunities on totesport.com.

Jose Mourinho will tell his Internazionale players they have to believe his old club Chelsea are not untouchable ahead of Wednesday’s Champions League last-16 showdown (Inter 13/8 draw 2/1 Chelsea 6/4 Champions League match betting).

Chelsea will arrive at the San Siro four point clear of champions Manchester United in the race for the Premier League table, but Stamford Bridge favourite Mourinho is convinced the west Londoners are not the war machine they were when he guided them to consecutive titles in 2005 and 2006.

The Blues have drawn four and lost four of their 27 Premier League matches under new manager Carlo Ancelotti and Mourinho feels they can be got at (Chelsea 4/9 Inter 13/8 - To Qualify).

The Portuguese coach, who won the Champions League with Porto in 2004, said: “The Premier League is never easy - every game normally is difficult.

“But when a team is strong, strong, strong, strong, strong, it doesn’t lose so many matches, so many points.”

Don’t miss your chance to check out the midweek Champions League coupon and ante-post football betting opportunities on totesport.com.

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson admitted Everton were the better side in the second half after the Red Devils slumped to a 3-1 defeat at Goodison Park on Saturday.

The Old Trafford outfit pulled off an impressive 3-2 win at AC Milan in the Champions League on Tuesday night (United 11/2 Outright) but their Premier League title hopes have taken a blow after coming unstuck at the Toffees.

Ferguson shuffled his pack against David Moyes’ side and was rewarded when Dimitar Berbatov, on his return to the side, opened the scoring on 16 minutes.

But the Blues hit back through Diniyar Bilyaletdinov (19), Dan Gosling (76) and Jack Rodwell in the last minute to condemn United to their fifth away defeat in the league of the campaign.

Afterwards Fergie told Sky Sports: “We were well beaten, it’s as simple as that.

“Second half we were outplayed. Maybe we left something in Milan, we looked tired, but when you are going for the championship you expect Manchester United  to respond to the importance of the game.

“We started the game well enough but the equaliser galvanised them and gave them an incentive. The second half they were better.”

Don’t forget to check out the rest of totesport.com’s football betting.