The Premier League is one of the most popular leagues in world football and here at 888sport, we have a range of different markets associated with the league for you to bet on to make the action even more interesting. Here is a look at the different markets on our site and everything you need to know about the odds, terms and potential returns.

• Premier League Betting

Premier League Outright Betting

At the start of every season, 888sport have an outright market on who will win the Premier League title. Once the season begins, though, this market then continues to be updated after every round of fixtures.

This means that you can wait for as long as you like into the season before making your mind up about who you want to bet on for the title. If you are playing beforehand, though, and want to bet each-way, the place terms are 1-2 1/2.

Manchester City went into the 2017/18 season as the favourites to win the league at the end of the campaign, however, as we saw in the 2015/16 season, the bookmakers don’t always get the outright betting correct. Leicester were as big as 5000/1 to win the title that year, and, steered by manager Claudio Ranieri, ended up stunning the world.

Following a number of additions to their squad in the summer and after a fast start to their campaign, Manchester United are also one of the fancied sides in the betting for the title this season. Jose Mourinho has an excellent record in his second season at the football clubs he has managed and that is reflected in the betting, as United have only their neighbours and rivals City ahead of them.

Golden Boot Winner (Top Goalscorer)

With so many world class strikers now applying their trade in the Premier League, the goalscorer market is an exciting bet to place as with every goal scored by your player in the season, you can cheer even louder.

Harry Kane has been successful in each of the last two seasons in the top goalscorer market, with 25 and 29 goals to his name respectively. As a result, the Tottenham forward was once again the favourite to make it a hat-trick of Golden Boot trophies at the end of the 2017/18 campaign before the season began.

Alan Shearer, Cristiano Ronaldo and Luis Suarez all share the record for the most goals in a Premier League season, with 31, so Kane will have his eyes on breaking that record this season, which is likely to be enough to win this market if you have backed the Englishman.

New Manchester United forward Romelu Lukaku has made a fast start to his campaign at Old Trafford and is also likely to have been popular in the Golden Boot betting. The former Everton man was only four goals behind Kane last season. He will be expected to be United’s leading talisman.

If you are having a bet on a player to win the Golden Boot trophy, it is always worth checking if they take penalties for their club. This will obviously help their total goals at the end of the season and if it is a new player to the Premier League from a foreign club, you might just be able to find a bit of value in this market.

Top Assists Market

888sport are one of the few firms to offer betting on who will top the assists chart at the end of the season. You can find stats online on which players are producing the most assists before placing your bet. Manchester United’s Henrikh Mkhitaryan is the favourite to top the charts this season, while Arsenal’s Mesut Ozil and Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne are usually popular selections in the betting heat.

Relegation Betting

Three clubs will be relegated from the Premier League at the end of the season and with 888sport, you can bet on which club you think will end the campaign in the relegation zone.

Normally, the promoted clubs from the Championship are among the favourite in this market and that is the case in the 2017/18 relegation betting, where Brighton, Huddersfield and Newcastle are all near the top end of the betting. Like the outright market, relegation odds are updated throughout the season so you can wait a few games to assess each team before placing your bet.

888sport also offer a market on who will finish bottom of the Premier League table. If you have a strong view on a team and you think will struggle more than any other club, this is a good market as the odds will be much bigger for them to end the campaign rock bottom than they would be just to be relegated.

PFA Player of the Year

The PFA Player of the Year Award is given to the player which has stood out the most each season and is awarded by a panel assembled by the sponsors of the league.

In the 2016/17 campaign, N’Golo Kante was recognised for his performances for the champions Chelsea following his move from Leicester. The Frenchman was excellent in front of the Blues’ back three and a key part of their success.

Some of the names at the top of the betting for this year’s award include Lukaku, Paul Pogba, De Bruyne and Eden Hazard.

PFA Young Player of the Year

Betting is also available on who will scoop the PFA Young Player of the Year this season. Tottenham’s Dele Alli is the favourite in this market, however, he could face stern competition from Manchester City’s Gabriel Jesus, Marcus Rashford of Manchester United and German international Leroy Sane, which is reflected in the betting as it is a tight market.

Just like the PFA Player of the Year, the betting will be updated throughout the season, depending on how well the youngsters are performing for their respective clubs.

First Premier League Manager to Leave

It is unlikely to take long for the first managerial casualty of the 2017/18 Premier League season to be announced, such is the pressure on the shoulders of the 20 managers in the league. During the summer, Rafa Benitez was the favourite in the market as there have been rumours that the Newcastle manager is unhappy that he has not been backed enough in the transfer window.

West Ham boss Slaven Bilic is also one of the early frontrunners in the sack race as West Ham have made a slow start to the campaign, while they were expected to finish a lot higher than they did last season, therefore, Bilic has to deliver this year.

Once the first manager is sacked or walks from his position, the market then turns into the ‘next Premier League manager to leave’, where updated odds will be published. This process continues throughout the season. If you like these managerial markets, look out for the betting on who will become the club’s new manager once a sacking has been made.

Best London Team

This is a market offered by 888sport where you can bet on who you think will finish highest in the Premier League this season out of the six London-based clubs. You are effectively reducing the number of teams in the league by excluding all the clubs outside of London. Defending champions Chelsea are the favourites in this market, while Arsenal and Tottenham are not too far behind.

If you are betting on the Premier League this season, good luck with your bets and check the latest prices on all of 888sport’s market following every round of fixtures.

Clear your schedule; you won’t want to miss Super Sunday this weekend. Starting with Real Madrid’s conquerors Tottenham Hotspur at home to Crystal Palace, football fans should be prepared for one of the biggest Sunday’s of the Premier League season. Later, Manchester City will host Arsenal before Jose Mourinho’s Manchester United travel to Stamford Bridge for what may be a fiery affair at Stamford Bridge.

• Premier League Betting Odds

So without further ado, let’s get stuck into some of the top tips and betting advice ahead of the weekend. With it being Bonfire night, will we 'remember remember, the 5th of November' or is it going to be a damp squib? Check out my thoughts on the action below...

TOTTENHAM vs Crystal Palace

Spurs fans were in dreamland on Wednesday night – Mauricio Pochettino’s men ran out 3-1 winners against 12-time European Cup champions Real Madrid. On their day, Tottenham are capable of slugging it out with the best teams in the business but the hosts must be wary of complacency.

Assuming that Palace will roll over and encourage Spurs to tally up a cricket score would be foolish to say the least; the visitors will be tough to beat. Spurs will be riding high on Wednesday's win but they cannot afford to take the Eagles lightly.

Roy Hodgson has failed to inspire confidence during his brief Palace tenure but there have been some positive signs for Eagles supporters. Victory over Chelsea in October gave fans a much-needed confidence boost but the 4-1 defeat to Championship side Bristol City in the Carabao Cup shattered all momentum.

It is hard to see Palace getting anything here if Spurs bring their A-game; the 5/4 for a Tottenham win and clean sheet represents solid value.

TIP: Spurs to win to nil @ 5/4

MANCHESTER CITY vs Arsenal

Pep Guardiola’s side are starting to look unbeatable. It may be a little early to compare City to Arsenal’s “Invincibles” side just yet but the Blues are certainly a class above their rivals in terms of talent, guile and desire.

With so much attacking talent on display, it wouldn’t be a huge surprise to see City rack up plenty of goals. Prior to last month’s goalless Carabao Cup clash with Wolverhampton Wanderers, City had bagged 19 goals in their previous five home games...

A positive result here could act as the catalyst for Arsenal to go on and rebuild their season after a sub-par start to the campaign. Yes, they are still well in contention for the Champions League spots but defeat in this fixture would see the Gunners drop even further behind City in the title race.

Arsenal are worth considering given City’s perceived aura of invincibility – the Blues will go through a difficult patch at some stage this season. It won’t be here though, the 13/10 for a City win with goals at both ends of the pitch is my best bet of this encounter.

TIP: Man City to win and both teams to score @ 13/10

CHELSEA vs MANCHESTER UNITED

And then in the final game of Super Sunday, we have the big one. Jose Mourinho, Chelsea through and through for so long, will take his Manchester United side down to Stamford Bridge for what could be a fiery encounter.

Antonio Conte’s side have struggled to inspire confidence so far this campaign and supporters will be nervy after Chelsea conceded three goals away at Roma earlier this week – hardly an assured defensive performance and very uncharacteristic of the Blues side that won the Premier League title last year.

United know that defeat is not an option here; Mourinho won’t stand for it. The Red Devils were humiliated 4-0 in the corresponding fixture last term and Chelsea fans were quick to jump on Jose’s back.

A win here, especially with Paul Pogba side-lined, would send out a statement of intent to United’s title rivals, especially those “noisy neighbours” at the Etihad Stadium. Their record at Stamford Bridge isn’t great though and the draw looks well priced at 43/20 given Mourinho’s hesitant approach in the big games.                           

TIP: Match to be drawn @ 43/20

*Odds subject to change - correct at time of writing*

Every October a team is appointed champions elect. Often a rash, reactionary naming after a tidal wave of early season hype, it seems to – more often than not – prove to be a foolish misjudgement based on results and short-term form.

• Premier League Betting Odds

It has happened prematurely to most of the top six clubs on one occasion or another. Manchester City have suffered the cursed fate before, and this year are having their name engraved in the trophy by some before Halloween has even passed.

11 matches into the 2017/18 Premier League season, Pep Guardiola’s side are on course to break every imaginable record. The swooning at their otherworldly football is justified. With 31 points, 38 goals scored, and only seven conceded, the two-time Premier League winners are winning with a panache we rarely see in England.

Pressure For Early Favourites

City were pre-season favourites for many, but the question that haunted their credentials was how their defence would cope. And, more specifically, how it would cope in the absence of Vincent Kompany. Until Stoke had the audacity to nick a couple of goals in their 7-2 drubbing last month, Guardiola’s team had let in just two, with Kompany having appeared in only three matches.

Sergio Aguero’s fitness has been similarly depended on at the Etihad Stadium since he arrived in 2011. The Argentine’s absence has been hardly noticed thanks, in part, to the form – and sensational talent – of Gabriel Jesus. Ex-Liverpool midfielder and pundit Danny Murphy noted Jesus as the best young talent he’s seen since Lionel Messi. Praise indeed...

A few can stake a claim to that title, but the 20-year-old Brazilian is certainly in the Premier League Golden Boot discussion and he will be quietly confident of adding to his tally of seven in the near future.

City have been scoring goals for fun this season. Their attack has everything, from the pace of Leroy Sane and Raheem Sterling, the guile of David Silva and Kevin de Bruyne, to the lethal finishing of Aguero and Jesus. Now paired with a seemingly secure defence, City are a complete team. Their goalkeeping crisis has even been nullified with the arrival of the calm Ederson.

Goals rarely tell the whole tale, but City’s ruthlessness offensively can elevate them beyond domestic football. Their defence can afford a relapse with their current attacking form, and, even then, their ability to dominate possession gives their backline protection.

Where their Premier League contemporaries will become frustrated, City never suffer from a creative block. Ideas flow between their midfield and their attack, as they move like one entity, picking holes in their opponent at will.

Champions Swept Aside

Chelsea tried absorbing all of City’s play, and there’s arguably no Premier League team set up better to do so. Antonio Conte’s side limited their chances, but could not get enough of the ball to even momentarily panic John Stones and Nicolas Otamendi.

Guardiola has the five-star luxury of depth, especially in the final third. Should any team be able to limit their relentless chance creation, the vast quality will produce a moment of individual brilliance, just as De Bruyne did at Stamford Bridge.

Teams often have a whiff of invincibility early in the year. Guardiola’s team are one of the first to pose a significant threat to Arsenal’s USP, though. No Premier League squad has ever had this amount of quality in the attacking third, and the defence is solid even without Kompany and Benjamin Mendy.

City have deserved the plaudits. It could all come to a thunderous halt, but the performances thus far are as good as I can remember in the Premier League. Teams are not just being beaten, they are being dismantled. Kevin de Bruyne, almost a shoo-in to record more assists than any of his Premier League peers this season, almost single-handedly put Stoke to the sword in City's demolition job last month.

An unbeaten season has become a holy grail, and it is probably far too great an ask, though reasonable to suggest as a possibility. To say it is already City’s to lose, however, is no exaggeration. Their lead is up to eight points already and they are playing majestic football bordering on the unstoppable.

As Good As Anyone

October hyperbole has frequently been greeted with a hindsight giggle. Of all the early season fliers, though, Manchester City are the best we have seen. There might be a lengthy code to solve the puzzle opposition managers are faced with, but no manager has come close to toppling City in the first couple of months.

The once-overshadowed neighbours are the noisiest of all right now, and so they should be. City are playing joyous, jaw-dropping football. In De Bruyne they have perhaps the world’s best midfielder, and in the dugout they have a man whose place in footballing history is already cemented.

Guardiola has us watching in awe. The Spaniard has the talent at his disposal, but his brilliance is in how that talent is utilised and the spectacle it produces.

Trophies seem an inevitability for City this season. It’s simply a case of which ones. The longer this all-conquering, goal-heavy football continues, the higher the chance of a truly historic season becomes.

If ever the sweeping, autumnal, headline statements are deserved, it is for this Manchester City team. 

*Odds subject to change*

Jose Mourinho’s Manchester United ‘big game’ record makes for pretty torturous reading. Goals have been almost non-existent, and the matches have bordered on unwatchable. Even looking at the results provokes undesirable flashbacks of hours wasted.

• Premier League Betting Odds

In seven away matches against the ‘top six’ under Mourinho, Manchester United have no wins, one goal, and three draws but it has always been a case of substance over style for Mourinho and that is fine when trophies are common, as has been the case for much of his career.

Few will be too fussed with 1-0s if you are winning the league, or battling for a place in the latter rounds of the Champions League. What an ultra-pragmatic approach does do, though, is shorten the leash when the outcomes are less than perfect.

Without the plethora of silverware that is expected each season from Mourinho, fans, pundits and all who watch his teams become critical. Add the highly-publicised spending to that, and the frustration is not only understandable, but, perhaps, justified.

The names on his squad sheet, and the financial backing he has had, make grinding his way to secondary trophies insufficient. This Manchester United era was/is meant to be about returning to the very top of football domestically and in Europe.

This season is the year it was meant to come together, the year that it is almost title or bust - and with the Reds falling further behind City in the race for supremacy, 888sport are going 14/1 on a dramatic United triumph.

While this season could still be an overwhelming success, the early signs are hardly positive. Negativity has reigned supreme in the big matches for Mourinho, despite the fact that Manchester City are storming away at the top of the table. The lead is already eight points.

Mourinho, in a way almost unimaginable for the man who took stunned Europe a little over a decade ago, took time to mention that United are second on Sunday.

He tampered expectations in his first year back at Chelsea, too. Ambition management is a step of further pragmatism and, while it might be realistic, is an immediately defensive move. Second might be enough for his superiors at the club. It is less likely to scrape approval if City march to a clear title win.

Where City are playing every match like a team aiming for a 5-0, Manchester United are approaching many with a ‘must not lose’ setup. On several occasions they have played like a team shackled in attack, and a team without a plan in possession.

It worked against Liverpool and Tottenham, but, in defeat to Chelsea this weekend, United were outplayed. That defeat saw them pulled back from primary City challengers into the chasing pack. Pep Guardiola's men are now as short as 1/6 in our Premier League betting markets for the title.

Of course, the injury to Paul Pogba has made a massive difference. The downturn in form of Henrikh Mkhitaryan has been at least as hurtful, but the Armenian’s place in the side remains unthreatened. Romelu Lukaku has hit a scoring drought, and Anthony Martial is seemingly yet to win full trust of Mourinho.

Injuries and fluctuation in form will happen. Lukaku’s poor run is more effect than cause, and the reluctance to name Martial and Marcus Rashford in the same team is continually puzzling. The failure to sign Ivan Perisic has been pointed at as a costly mistake, but offensive talent is there for this team to entertain.

There is about as much chance of Guardiola signing Grant Holt as Mourinho drastically changing his tactics. Fair enough given his success, you might say. It is hard not to wonder, however, what this Manchester United team could produce if Mourinho accepted even a little more risk.

Alterations are not needed for the sake of entertainment, but for Mourinho’s once-favourite hobby: winning. The results – particularly away from home to their rivals – could hardly be worse, for instance.

Committing more forward and changing their approach might lead to defeats, but the heightened chance of victory is surely worth the gamble given their recent results. It might just help to becalm the frustrations of the fans, too. And, more importantly, keep the board onside.

Thrilling football does not equal trophies, but the current tedium will make a non-title-winning season even harder to take. Mourinho was not hired to reinvent the sport or score 140 goals in a season, yet his team have begun to eliminate their own title chances.

The current squad is capable of far greater than we have seen in Mourinho’s first year and a half in charge. Eight points in November is not quite unassailable, but it will require a City collapse, and a winning run for United that is increasingly improbable.

A disappointing first season was saved by a Europa League victory, and his second season could quickly be looking to Europe for stress-relief again. Without it, though, we are left to wonder if this uninspiring football and a top four finish would be acceptable for the club’s hierarchy.

Alex Ferguson’s sides were not always based on pure entertainment, but victory was the primary aim. There is an increasing sense that Mourinho would rather not lose than push to win.

*Odds subject to change - correct at time of writing*

It will be littered with substitutions, players will pull out with minor injuries, and the result means very little. It is still England and Germany. A great rivalry, a rivalry that will be played out under the Wembley arch on Friday night.

• Football Betting Odds

England play host to the world champions. A world champion team with a plethora of talent, but a team that has vastly changed since the 2014 World Cup. The next generation are highly regarded, though they still have plenty to prove in comparison with the older heads that guided the team to lift the trophy in Brazil.

Gareth Southgate has left out a few regular names, and plumped for some significantly fresher faces. A pair of Tottenham Harries pulled out on Monday, but there was still no place for the over-discussed Jack Wilshere. Tammy Abraham, Joe Gomez and Ruben Loftus-Cheek could all make their debuts after impressing in the Premier League this season.

These matches have regularly been a provoker of enthusiasm in tournament seasons. A drab victory can be painted as a success against the world’s best, and, the next thing you know, England are being tipped for a run into the depths of the World Cup. Such is the widespread pessimism at this juncture, that is unlikely.

This match should be seen as an educational process for Southgate, just as it will be for Joachim Loew. Southgate should be giving debuts to the new boys on the block, and, he should be reaching a verdict on some players.

The former under-21s manager has been criticised for his safety-first approach thus far. Anything else could seem reckless against the Germans, but this is an opportunity to show he has other ideas. England have plenty of attacking talent. We could see it thrive against an opposition willing to dominate possession. The hosts are at a tempting 17/10 to score over 1.5 goals.

With no Kane to lean on in the goal scorer markets, Germany’s Timo Werner is the pick at 7/4 to score any time. The rapid RB Leipzig forward might have a bit of fun against a potentially experimental England back line.

Germany were typically ruthless in the qualification group stages. We are unlikely to see quite the same on Friday evening, though, as was seen when England snatched a 3-2 win prior to the 2016 European Championships. England’s 2/1 price to win the match is a decent one as a result, despite friendlies being notoriously tough to predict with absences and unpredictable managerial decisions.

After the turgid football that saw England widely criticised during qualifying, we will at least see some top level quality at Wembley. A smattering of the world’s best players will be in action, and a fair few players who will be playing for a spot on the plane to Russia next summer.

The result might mean as good as zilch, but this match has the potential to be far more interesting than the vast majority of England matches. For that alone, it’s something to anticipate in this fortnight break from club football.

TIP: Match to finish 2-2 @ 12/1

*Odds subject to change - correct at time of writing*

With a disjointed weekend of action, managers were left working out quite where they stand. The Premier League table is now messy with teams having played different numbers of games while others were focused on FA Cup fixtures.

• Premier League Sack Race Betting

Two of the mid-season appointments went head-to-head at the KCOM Stadium as Marco Silva’s Hull came out on top against Paul Clement’s Swansea, but Sam Allardyce had the weekend off thanks to an FA Cup caused postponement. This time of the season the table must constantly be qualified by ifs and buts, but only the teams with points on the board have any sense of security.

Managers are almost universally stressed at this time of the season, but there are a couple who should be a bit more on edge than others.

Arsene Wenger

Usually a 5-0 FA Cup quarter-final win would relieve some pressure from a manager. Not for Arsene Wenger.

Protests and cringeworthy banners were the main story from Arsenal’s victory over Lincoln City in the Cup sadly.

The situation remains that Wenger will have the final say over whether he stays at the club. The belief is there is a contract offer on the table for Arsenal’s long-serving manager and it is in his hands whether he opts to sign it or wave a fond farewell. A second humiliation to Bayern Munich last week only worsened the fury of the Arsenal fans, who are marching and chanting against the man who made the club what it is today.

Wenger has been honest about his position thus far. He has been clear that the fans’ voices will make a difference to him and, rather than being defiant, has said he wants what is best for the club. Which is all expected, really, but that could all change if Arsenal slip outside of the top four this season. 

Odds of 9/2 to leave the post before any other Premier League manager make Wenger a sound option.

AitorKaranka

Things are looking no brighter for Middlesbrough. Although the FA Cup has provided sweet relief from a dire 2017 in the Premier League, an inevitable 2-0 defeat to Manchester City has brought them back down to earth. T

Boro were fortunate it was only two in truth as they were carved open almost at will. Offensively they looked short of any ideas once again too, as Rudy Gestede was unable to really dominate against Manchester City’s defence. The league’s lowest scorers need something to change quickly if they are to avoid a seemingly obvious relegation.

Karanka has suffered criticism from fans at points this season, understandably so. The atmosphere at the ground is a frustrated one all too often, leaving their promotion winning boss under serious pressure to face the sack at 1/2.  

Some Premier League clubs are panicking at this point. With poor form becoming more than a short-term issue for some in the bottom half, relegation is looming. For clubs competing for European football, there are equally grave financial concerns.

• Premier League Sack Race Betting on 888sport

Sam Allardyce has notched a brace of wins to take the pressure off, Marco Silva saw his Hull side lose away from home again and Paul Clement led Swansea to another massive win. The managerial changes have gone well thus far, could there be more to come?

Aitor Karanka

Aitor Karanka has featured on this list far more frequently that he would have liked. Another defeat for Middlesbrough away at Stoke City this weekend saw Karanka become favourite to be the next manager sacked. With 888 Sport putting him at odds as short as 33/100, there is evidently pressure on him.

Having slipped into the relegation zone after a weak performance, alarm bells will be ringing at the Riverside. Although talk of a sacking is quiet currently, Boro are yet to win a Premier League match in 2017 and Karanka has done little to shake up the side. Even their previously solid defence now looks fallible, while their midfield trio is industrious but without attacking input.

As sides around them improve, Boro have dropped like a stone into the icy waters of the relegation zone. Change might well be a necessity before the Championship becomes an inevitability for 2017/18.

Walter Mazzarri

Despite a pair of wins over Arsenal and Burnley a few weeks ago, the Hornets have endured a poor 2017. Defeat to Southampton in a seven goal thriller at the weekend leaves Walter Mazzarri’s side only four points above Bournemouth, who have been widely consigned to ‘relegation fighting’ by the football world.

With clean sheets as frequent as sensical Garth Crooks team of the week selections, Watford could easily be dragged into an increasingly difficult relegation contest. The teams around them are only getting stronger, while their side is lacking balance.

Mazzarri may not leave before the end of this season if they remain out of trouble, but his future will be under question if there are no improvements. Out at 10/1 to be the next manager sacked, the Italian is currently a decent option in this market.

David Moyes

We can’t go through a week of sack race discussion without mentioning the rapidly ageing David Moyes. Although Sunderland acquitted themselves well against an in-form Manchester City team on Sunday afternoon, the discontent at the Stadium of Light echoes the wider impression that this is a team doomed to relegation.

The market has no manager being sacked as a more likely outcome than Moyes getting the boot next, despite the Black Cats sitting six points from Premier League safety. Hull face Swansea next weekend with Sunderland’s match postponed, which could push them further into the mire.

Great escapes have been Sunderland’s thing over the past few seasons. It feels a step too far this year, however, and a typical last minute managerial might be their only hope, making 7/1 a good price for Moyes to go next.

The footballing world was shaken to its very core when Claudio Ranieri was sacked this week.

• Sack Race Betting on 888sport

Apparently winning the most unlikely sporting title in history is not enough to keep your job for another complete season. While Swansea, Crystal Palace and Hull have all made managerial changes this campaign, Leicester’s decision to replace the lovable Italian reflects the cold, ruthless world of football management.

No one is safe if Ranieri can be disposed of, regardless of how his players treated him in the closing weeks of his tenure. With clubs beginning to panic about their end of season fate, there are a couple of other managers who could yet be under real pressure…

Aitor Karanka

Another defeat for Middlesbrough at Crystal Palace will have their board wondering if Karanka can guide them out of this slump. Failure to score for the third match running and with no Premier League victory in nine outings, Boro are in real danger of relegation.

The respective improvements of Hull and Swansea have made it a nervy few weeks for the recently promoted North-East club. Crystal Palace’s victory over Karanka’s side could also provide a springboard for Sam Allardyce’s team as we enter the closing few matches of the season. Just one point out of the bottom three and with form firmly out of their favour, Boro’s faith in Karanka must be wavering.

As a result of their form and the peril they are in, Karanka is now favourite to face the sack next. At worrying odds of 5/2, there is value to be had there especially if Boro continue to be so short of creativity.

David Moyes

The thumping of Crystal Palace a couple of matches is looking increasingly like a false dawn for David Moyes. His Sunderland side have lost successive matches since then, conceding six goals and scoring none.

Bottom of the Premier League table and three points away from the Promised Land of 17th place, the former Everton boss is continuing to field a team that looks short of ideas. Without a set identity as many of their rivals have developed, Sunderland are relying almost entirely on Jermain Defoe to drag them to safety.

Moyes has been a constant feature near the front of the sack race and there are no signs of that changing. Sunderland may yet press the managerial panic button if Moyes shows no improvement. At 6/1, the price is very good on Moyes to be next to go.

Mark Hughes

Stoke City have gone backwards in recent months. Despite results preserving their mid-table status, the Potters have reverted to a direct style of football and are relying on the midfield performances of Charlie Adam and Glenn Whelan.

Discontent amongst the fan base is growing at Hughes, who has effectively discarded Bojan and Giannelli Imbula, and it will only have increased with their inept performance that led to a 4-0 thrashing at the hands of Tottenham this weekend.

While the Potters’ board are calm and supportive of Hughes on the whole, frustration of the fans can quickly become a problem. Although the support is currently split on Hughes’ tenure, this could snowball into a more significant issue should they go on a poor run as they did at the start of the season.

The longshot option at 66/1, Hughes’ odds could come crashing down if they perform like they did at White Hart Lane again.

Premier League boards are beginning to plan for next season. Well, at some clubs anyway. At the top and bottom of the table we are seeing tight competition to avoid relegation and finish inside the top four, which is ratchetting up the pressure on the managers. The financial rewards for remaining in the top flight, particularly, are vast and managers who put that at risk are putting their own job in peril.

• Bet on Premier League Sack Race

Swansea have already moved Francesco Guidolin and Bob Bradley on this season, though they have found some respite from struggle under Paul Clement. Hull sacked Mike Phelan to appoint Marco Silva, who is doing similarly well, while Crystal Palace gave Alan Pardew his P45 to bring in Sam Allardyce (who is not doing so well).

It may seem a little late to be changing the man in the top job, but that doesn’t make any manager safe…

Claudio Ranieri

Midweek cup success over Derby had the potential to be a turning point for Claudio Ranieri and Leicester City. Their ineffective display and 2-0 defeat against Swansea quashed any hopes of that, however.

That is now five straight league defeats without finding the net for Leicester. Only one point ahead of the much improved Hull, who occupy the final relegation place, the Foxes are on course to be the first reigning champions relegated in over 50 years.

Ranieri is the clear favourite to face the sack at odds of 1/2. The footballing romantic may find it kneejerk and harsh, but its hard to see Leicester sticking with their club hero unless performances turn around within the next couple of matches.

Aitor Karanka

Middlesbrough kept their impressive defensive record intact with a 0-0 draw at home to Everton, but a single point does little to help them in the relegation fight, particularly with the form Swansea are showing. Now without a league victory in eight matches, Karanka is understandably under pressure to change his approach as victories become key.

Other options for Middlesbrough are limited, mind. Karanka has moulded this squad, they are accustomed to playing how he demands. A managerial change for Middlesbrough, perhaps more than any other club, would be a risk at this point.

That does little to secure his future, however, even if he is comfortable second favourite at 4/1.

Sam Allardyce

Crystal Palace’s victory over Bournemouth really does like look a false dawn. Following their humiliation at home to Sunderland last weekend, the Eagles were limited in attack by Stoke City to fall to a frustrating 1-0 defeat.

Wilfried Zaha was the bright spark for Allardyce’s side – as many would expect – but results desperately need to turn around. Allardyce may have lost his firefighting touch, if so, Palace must replace him to have any chance of safety. The trademark organisation of Allardyce’s previous teams is lacking and they are not taking advantage of the talented attacking options at their disposal.

As short as 10/1 with 888 Sport to be the next manager sacked, Allardyce is under severe threat of being shown the door despite his recent appointment.

Crystal Palace, Hull and Swansea have all had different levels of success since changing their managers. Palace’s decision to appoint Sam Allardyce is looking unwise, while Swansea and Hull are proving half the football ‘pundits’ wrong with their moves to bring in Paul Clement and Marco Silva respectively.

• Bet on the sack race

The bottom clubs have shown a willingness to chop and change bosses when required this season, with Bob Bradley, Francesco Guidolin, Mike Phelan and Alan Pardew already having been handed their P45s. Change could be coming elsewhere in the table, mind, here are three managers who saw their job’s come under greater threat this weekend…

Claudio Ranieri

It is almost beyond belief, but Leicester’s league winning manager is the favourite to be sacked at 7/4.

The Foxes have slumped to only a point above the relegation zone and lost four straight in the league. Their latest 3-0 thrashing at the hands of Manchester United will have hurt, but it is the sloppiness of their recent performances that is the gravest concern. Open defensively and without any sign of creativity in the final third, their heroes of last season now look short of the quality to compete at this level.

Although it seems unthinkable to many, Ranieri’s job is under threat. Relegation might be a price that fans are willing to pay for the success of last season, but it is one all too dear for the owners.

Sam Allardyce

Okay, Big Sam has only just been appointed by Crystal Palace, but this is not impossible. After the humiliation of their defeat to Sunderland at home, the Eagles are only goal difference away from falling to the bottom of the table. Allardyce has not had the impact that many expected, nor does he seem to be taking the team forwards.

A midweek victory over Bournemouth made a false dawn for Palace. While it looked as though they had turned an important corner, defeat to the league’s bottom team so emphatically undermines all of that.

He remains at odds as long as 12/1 to be the next manager sacked and, while replacements are limited, that presents good value considering Palace’s dire performance this weekend.

Claude Puel

Reaching the EFL Cup final means that Puel remains in credit with Southampton. However, he has slipped to third favourite to be the next Premier League manager sacked at 8/1.

Three points taken from their last 21 available in the Premier League and a limp FA Cup exit have contributed to this. Puel saw his Saints swept aside by West Ham this weekend, as the losses of Jose Fonte and Virgil van Dijk continue to hit the team hard defensively.

Relegation is yet to creep into the peripheral vision of Southampton and Puel, but a cup final defeat and a continuation of this form and he will quickly be under serious pressure.