Jose 10-11 to be next casualty

Sports Betting: HOW much longer will Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich be able to restrain himself?

Jose Mourinho, the self-proclaimed “Special One” adored by the Stamford Bridge faithful, finds his manager’s job hanging by a thread following another painful defeat.

Such is Mourinho’s position that the bookmakers have cut him to 10-11 favourite to be the next Barclays Premier League manager to leave his post.

Abramovich is not the world’s most patient man when it comes to managers, so anything less than a home victory over Sunderland this weekend could well spell the end for Mourinho.

Amazingly, the boss of another high-profile club finds himself as second favourite to go.

Louis van Gaal saw his Manchester United side exit the Champions League last week, while defeat at Bournemouth on Saturday caused more unrest at Old Trafford and had ex-United stars baying for blood.

Van Gaal, who in my view has taken pragmatism to a new level this season, is 9-4 second favourite to be the next PL boss to walk. It’s 14-1 the rest.



DESPITE United’s travails, the Reds are 19-2 third favourites to be crowned Premier League champions.

Manchester City clearly boast the best squad in the league, but their soft centre - particularly without the oft-injured Vincent Kompany at the back - makes them a dodgy better proposition at 11-8.

Arsenal are 7-4 second favourites, while pacesetting Leicester are 20-1, Liverpool 22-1 and Tottenham Hotspur 28s.

Spluttering Chelsea are 250-1 to win the title, 14-1 to finish in the top four and earn a Champions League place, and 100-1 to be relegated.



OLDHAMER Kevin Sinfield has been the biggest ante-post gamble in the BBC Sports Personality Of the Year betting.

When the 12 candidates were announced, rugby star Sinfield was 66-1. Now he is as low as 6-1 and a a best-priced 8s. The award will be handed out on Sunday night and the most likely recipient is Davis Cup tennis hero Andy Murray (4-5). Heptathlete Jessica Ennis-Hill is 2-1, while newly-crowned world heavyweight champion Tyson Fury is 16-1 despite his controversial comments.