The Longshot: Jude will be very far from obscure 

AS grounds across England marked the passing of their greatest ever player last weekend, the man most likely to take the mantle from him continues to flourish.

Jude Bellingham certainly looks like he can become a true great of the game and it should be no surprise following England’s very easy dispatch of Italy in a Euro qualifier last week that Gareth Southgate’s side have been installed as 4/1 favourites to win Euro 2024 in Germany next year.

That is ahead of the hosts (6/1), and World Cup finalists France on 9/2 (holders Italy look in disarray and are 14/1).

Bellingham steps out in Northern Portugal tonight as Real Madrid travel to Braga on gameday three in the Champions League group stages.

He scored the only goal in Madrid’s late win over Union Berlin, and added a goal and an assist in the 3-1 victory against Napoli.

He is 7/4 to get on the scoresheet tonight in what could be a high-scoring away win (Real are 1/2 to prevail). Madrid to win and both teams to score is 13/8.

Carlo Ancelotti’s side drew 1-1 at Sevilla over the weekend (Vinicius Junior racially abused by the home fans - will it never end), ending a run of four straight wins for them.

Following their home loss to Napoli in their opening game, Braga have bounced back with five straight wins, which included a 3-2 victory at Union Berlin.

W Napoli will be looking to bounce back too when they travel to the German capital.

The reigning Serie A champions lost 3-2 at home to Real Madrid in their last European outing.

They warmed up for this one with a 3-1 win at Verona over the weekend, which saw the talented Georgian Khvicha Kvaratskhelia bag a brace.

Union lost 3-0 at home to Stuttgart on Saturday, which was incredibly their eighth consecutive defeat since August so an away win at even money looks like terrific value.

Bobby Charlton’s final weeks have coincided with Man United’s most dispiriting start to a top European campaign.

They have no points after defeats to both Bayern Munich and Galatasaray and United need to win tonight’s clash at home with FC Copenhagen.

A pair of fairly unconvincing 2-1 wins against Brentford and Sheffield United will not have fooled United supporters into thinking they have turned the corner and their club remains in dodgy form as it faces a potentially season-defining meeting, with the visitors, who are 7/1 to spring another surprise.

Six points from their back-to-back meetings with Copenhagen would give Erik ten Hag’s team a fighting chance of escaping into the knockout rounds, but defeat at Old Trafford would leave them pondering the ignominy of finishing last in a relatively weak group.

Arsenal and Sevilla were both expected to comfortably qualify from their Champions League group but come into the first of two successive clashes in the competition behind French side Lens, who meet PSV over the same period.

Gabriel Jesus left the Chelsea draw with an injury so 13/2 on him being the first scorer is a questionable favourite as he may not start and in-form Leonardo Trossard at 15/2 looks a better price.

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BOBBY Charlton is probably best remembered over here not as one of the greatest players of all time, but as the brother of Jack, rightly considered one this country’s greatest heroes.

Jonathan Wilson’s recent book Two Brothers is an extraordinary look at their relationship and career and any serious Irish football fan should get their hands on it.

Colin Young’s 2016 biography on Jack remains the best account of the bigger brother, with incredible and most often hilarious insights from those who knew him and played under him. But Wilson’s book is an extraordinary account of the most famous brothers to play the game (they were also cousins of Newcastle great Jackie Milburn, so that is some football pedigree in one family). They were estranged for many years but to get an understanding of why, and just what different characters they were, Wilson’s book is essential reading, not something you can always say about most football books.

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I SEE Fermoy finally got their apology. I suppose the big problem was the “horrible town” comments came on a Corkman’s show.

But they did come out of the mouth of a Scot, who may have a personal grudge against Blackwatersiders, or could still have been reeling from the recent rugby defeat.

It’s best to have a sense of humour about these things. Rather than getting all het up, the official Fermoy response should’ve been, “Well, at least we’re not Mallow.” Take the reply I got from an acquaintance in Midleton, who I texted last week to see how things were.

“Bad... and awful the Tidy Towns Committee chose this week to visit.” That’s the way to respond to adversity. I believe residents would have preferred, if, instead of platitudes and promises, Leo Varadkar had said his visit last week was really about attracting floating voters.

I guess growing up in the not-at-all horrible, but very much lovely town means I can say that, but if not I’ll get someone to apologise next week.

A FOUR-timer on United to put an end to thier European woes on an emotional night at Old Trafford, Real Madrid to beat Braga, Napoli to see off the hapless Berlin and Arsenal to draw will net you 16/1.