Mark Allen capable of keeping score respectable against O'Sullivan

Final
BBC2 & Eurosport 1, 1pm & 7pm Sunday

There's a cracking Betway UK Championship final in prospect between the all-conquering Ronnie O'Sullivan and Masters champion Mark Allen and while the Rocket is capable of beating most opponents with ridiculous ease, he could face a genuine test from the hugely talented Northern Ireland cueman in York on Sunday.

The duo have grown as friends since pairing up in a series of exhibition events in Allen's manor earlier this year and while O'Sullivan is clearly the right favourite in his quest for a seventh UK title, the outsider is playing well enough to make the market leader pull out something special.

Allen is bidding to make it two major triumphs in the same year after his Masters final triumph over Kyren Wilson in London in January. He's playing better now than he was then, too, and his UK semi-final victory over Stuart Bingham on Saturday was superb with both players performing at or near their absolute peaks.

O'Sullivan has stepped up as well since embracing the SightRight cueing technique and he looks even harder to stop than was formerly the case. The Barbican Centre defending champion is breaking records with consummate ease and is on course to become the first player to make 1,000 competitive century breaks early next year.

Punters can consider backing Allen, who was UK runner-up to Judd Trump in 2011, to upset the great man, who leads their personal series 4-3. But it may be wiser to support the outsider, a 6-1 winner over the Rocket at Alexandra Palace in January, with a start of 3.5 frames in their best-of-19-frames title decider.

Recommendation
M Allen +3.5 frames
1pt 4-6 general

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