The 2009/10 Premier League season is almost two-thirds complete with Burnley and Hull also preferred for the drop.
Thursday 4th February 2010
As Chelsea and Manchester United fight it out near the top of the table for the 2009/10 Premier League title, the other end sees numerous teams struggling to avoid relegation to the Championship.
With the current season nearly two-thirds complete, Portsmouth prop up the table having taken only eight points from the 27 that were available since the start of December. Manager Avram Grant criticised owner Ali Al-Faraj this week and the club is currently struggling to pay its players for the fourth time this season.
Currently six points from safety and with upcoming away matches against stiff competition including Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur, it would be almost a miracle if Portsmouth could avoid relegation after seven years in the Premiership. BetFred.com list the south coast club at odds of 1/9 to be relegated to the second-tier of English football while 888Sport.com, SportingBet.com, BlueSq.com, SkyBet.com, PaddyPower.com and StanJames.com are offering 1/7.
Portsmouth could still avoid the drop but must take at least 23 of the remaining 45 points on offer between now and May 9. BoyleSports.com is offering odds of 2/13 on the side failing to avoid relegation while ExtraBet.com, Bet365.com, ToteSport.com, Ladbrokes.com and WilliamHill.com show 1/6.
Slightly shorter, VictorChandler.com and Coral.co.uk have odds of 1/5 that Portsmouth will be playing in the Championship next season while BetDaq.com lists 21/100 followed by WBX.com with 11/50.
Promoted last season after winning its playoff game against Sheffield United, Burnley began the season brightly with home wins over the likes of Manchester United and Everton. However, the recent departure of manager Owen Coyle to Bolton has seen the side slip down the table after losing its subsequent three matches by a combined score of six goals to one.
SportingBet.com, VictorChandler.com, Ladbrokes.com, SkyBet.com, ToteSport.com and BetFred.com list Burnley at odds of 4/7 for the drop followed by StanJames.com, BlueSq.com, PaddyPower.com, 888Sport.com and ExtraBet.com with 8/13.
Former Sheffield Wednesday manager Brian Laws has recently taken charge of the side but the task in front of him is immense with upcoming away games at Aston Villa and Arsenal the pick of the crop. BoyleSports.com, Coral.co.uk and WilliamHill.com are offering odds of 4/6 that Burnley will be relegated while BetDaq.com shows 71/100.
Burnley will also be hoping that one of the teams above them slips up with Bet365.com and WBX.com offering punters odds of 8/11 on relegation for the ‘Clarets’ while Betfair.com shows 3/4.
Three teams are relegated every season with Hull City also favoured for the drop after a two-year stay in the top-flight. Ladbrokes.com currently shows the Yorkshire side at odds of 1/2 to be relegated while SkyBet.com is offering 8/15.
The team has been in or near the relegation zone all season with SportingBet.com showing odds of 3/5 that the ‘Tigers’ will be in the Championship for 2010/11. This is followed by BetDaq.com with 61/100 while ToteSport.com, BetFred.com, VictorChandler.com, PaddyPower.com, StanJames.com, WilliamHill.com and ExtraBet.com are offering 8/13.
Manager Phil Brown must lead his side to at least five wins in the remaining 14 games to have any chance at staying in the Premier League but this seems unlikely, especially considering that Hull have not emerged from a match victorious since November 25. Supporting this, Bet365.com, BoyleSports.com, BlueSq.com and 888Sport.com show odds of 4/6 that relegation will come to Kingston Communications Stadium in May while Coral.co.uk lists 8/11.
