by Ben Perks
Although the Premier League title race hogs the spotlight, the relegation battle is a popular betting market. Newcastle United and Watford are the favorites to go down this season, but other teams are close behind. Get insights and the latest odds for this season’s fight for survival.
Premier League Relegation Favorites
With a busy December on the horizon, it’s crunch time for Premier League clubs looking to avoid the drop. Since the league was formed in 1992, only three teams have stayed up after being bottom at Christmas. Therefore, Newcastle and Norwich will be hoping their new managers can help them climb out of the relegation zone before the new year. We weigh up the prospects of the current relegation favorites at top online sportsbooks.
Norwich City
The Norwich City board replaced manager Daniel Farke with ex-Aston Villa boss Dean Smith after their terrible start to the campaign. Since Smith’s introduction, the Canaries have recorded their first two wins of the season. These victories have lifted spirits at Carrow Road, and their new manager has pulled off an incredible relegation escape before in the 2019-20 season with his former club. But despite the encouraging signs, Bovada has Norwich as a -450 favorite to go down.
Newcastle United
Even though Newcastle United recently became the richest club in the Premier League, they are the second favorites to go down next year. Long-suffering Newcastle fans are delighted with the controversial Saudi takeover, as they know that new owners will splash the cash in the January transfer window. A week after buying the club, the new board replaced Steve Bruce with Eddie Howe to try and improve results. However, he has been unable to make much of an impact after testing positive for covid. Although miracles don’t happen overnight, futures bettors might want to place some action on the Magpies to stay up before they make some high-profile signings in January. Currently, they are at -150 odds to avoid the drop.
Watford
The Watford board has also made an early managerial change to boost their chances of Premier League survival. The replacement of Xiscoi with ex title-winning manager Claudio Ranieri has already looked like an astute decision. Ranieri’s men have beaten Everton 2-5 and Manchester United 4-1. However, as it’s a long season, oddsmakers don’t think the Hornets are out of the woods yet. Currently, their relegation odds are at -110.
Burnley
The Clarets usually struggle at the start of the season, and this year has been no different. To date, they have only managed to get one win. Because Seam Dyche has successfully led them to survival many times, Burnley’s owners haven’t hit the panic button just yet. However, Burnley’s team doesn’t have a proven goal scorer or a strong squad. For these reasons, oddsmakers have them at -110 to go down.
Leeds United
It looks like Leeds is suffering from second-season syndrome. Most teams promoted from the Championship face a relegation battle in their second Premier League season after losing their underdog status in most games. Many also feel that the Peacocks’ injury crisis is to blame for their poor results. Luckily for head coach Marco Bielsa, most of his injured star players will soon be fully fit. If they rediscover the form displayed last season, they should avoid the drop.
Yet, although soccer experts praise Bielsa, many have noted that his high-pressing approach to the game can result in injuries. Therefore, it could be a difficult season for Leeds United if more squad members are sidelined. As the team is currently near the drop zone, most sportsbooks have Leeds at +400 to go down.
Brentford
Although they had an excellent start to the season, the Bees have lost four and drawn one of their last five matches. The honeymoon period is well and truly over. Head coach Thomas Frank needs to quickly get Brentford back to winning ways to avoid falling into the relegation zone. The 3-3 draw with Newcastle United on Saturday stopped the losing streak, but now Frank will be hoping his team can go one step further and beat Everton this weekend. Right now, most online sportsbooks have them at +400 to be in the Championship next season.
Want to learn about your soccer wagering options? Check out this comprehensive betting guide.
Ben is a sports journalist & part-time trader with a passion for finding +EV bets. Ben lives in Madrid, Spain where he enjoys the live poker scene, and sunshine where he covers UFC, MLB, NHL, NBA, as well as tennis betting.
