The FA Cup reverse at Leicester means Newcastle have now lost five of their last seven in all competitions, so conventional thinking would suggest that the managerless Magpies could probably do without a trip to a Chelsea team with a 100 per cent record at Stamford Bridge.

Inevitably, United are huge outsiders at 17/1 with BetVictor. William Hill rate the hosts as 2/9 favourites and Stan James chalk John Carver’s troops up at a hefty 6/1 just to secure a point.

As Chelsea have failed to win their last couple in the league, the stalemate might attract some speculative cash, alongside a 1-1 scoreline at 12/1 (Ladbrokes) and BetVictor’s 10/1 about a score draw.

As underdogs, Newcastle are handed a goal start at 7/2 in bet365’s handicaps but optimists only have to cast their minds back just over a month to when the Blues visited St James’s Park to justify a modest flutter on Carver’s charges.

That day, they inflicted a first defeat of the campaign on Jose Mourinho’s team and a repeat of the 2-1 scoreline is a massive 45/1 courtesy of Stan James. Alternatively, Paddy Power price any away win by a one-goal margin at 18/1 and it’s 13/1 via BetVictor for Ayoze Perez to open the scoring.

Sunderland booked their place in the FA Cup fourth round by beating Leeds, but bookmakers aren’t placing too much value on that narrow success ahead of the visit of a revitalised Liverpool.

The Black Cats are underdogs at 10/3 with bet365 to pick up only their second home Premier League triumph of the campaign and the Reds are odds-on at 19/20 courtesy of Ladbrokes.

The teams drew 0-0 when they met at Anfield in December, so Skybet’s 13/5 about an inconclusive affair might lure some while William Hill offer 10/1 about a repeat of that goalless encounter.

When aided by a goal start in Stan James’s handicaps, Gus Poyet’s troops come in at 5/6 and in BetVictor’s ‘Draw No Bet’ market, Sunderland are a 9/4 chance.

Those wagers will appeal to fans betting cautiously or struggling to decide but for more confident Black Cats supporters, a more eye-catching proposition will be Stan James’s 5/1 for the hosts to nick it by a solitary goal.

They’re 13/1 (BetVictor) to grab the only goal, and in attack Stan James chalk Steven Fletcher up at a tempting 7/1 to break the deadlock.

Buoyed by their FA Cup success at Barnsley, Middlesbrough are William Hill’s 7/5 favourites to boost their promotion hopes at Reading (23/10, BetVictor).

Aitor Karanka’s men go to the Madejski Stadium hoping to gain revenge for a 1-0 reverse at the hands of the Royals back in August and although there’s already been money at 12/5 via bet365 for them to only earn a point, Boro will fancy their chances against mid-table opposition.

Stan James go 14/5 about Boro nicking it by a one-goal margin and also of interest to punters expecting a close contest could be Winner.com’s 9/2 for the visitors to clinch it after going in at the break with honours even.

In the correct score betting, it’s 13/2 at betway for Karanka’s side to record a 1-0 win and BetVictor make Jelle Vossen 13/2 to net first, as he did at Oakwell last time out.

In League Two, bet365 price Hartlepool at 11/5 to send Cheltenham home empty-handed and it’s 23/10 (Stan James) for a draw.

Odds supplied by www.betrescue.com

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