After an hour last weekend, Newcastle looked to be heading for a morale-boosting victory over Chelsea but the champions struck twice to leave them winless after seven Premier League matches.

Steve McClaren’s men keep contracting in the relegation betting, where they’re now 6/4 courtesy of bet365 and it’s expected to get worse before it gets better.

Manchester City are 1/4 at Stan James to inflict more misery on Newcastle, priced at 12/1 by William Hill to double their current tally of three points. BetVictor rate the Magpies at 11/2 to return with a point and punters might also be tempted by Skybet’s 22/1 about a goalless affair given that United have yet to find the net on their travels.

Even aided by a goal start in Ladbrokes’s handicaps Newcastle are 3/1 but optimists will take heart from City’s back-to-back league defeats and bet365 quote 40/1 for a 2-1 away success.

It’s 14/1 (Paddy Power) for the Magpies to shade it by one and BetVictor chalk Ayoze Perez up at 13/1 to open the scoring.

Not only are Sunderland anchored to the bottom of the Premier League with just two points from a possible 21, they haven’t scored a league goal in three - not surprisingly the Black Cats have been slashed to 1/4 by William Hill to be relegated.

Their plight is also piling the pressure on boss Dick Advocaat, who is now a clear favourite at 8/11 with Skybet to be the next manager to leave his post.

So what are the chances of Sunderland earning their coach a reprieve as they entertain West Ham?

BetVictor consider the Black Cats to be 9/4 underdogs while the Hammers, superb on the road so far beating Liverpool, Arsenal and Man City, are Stan James’s 7/5 jollies and it’s 12/5 (Paddy Power) to end in stalemate.

The pair were inseparable in last season’s corresponding fixture, which finished 1-1 and a repeat is 13/2 at BetVictor. Bet365 price any score draw at odds of 10/3. Home supporters can tackle Stan James’s 19/5 about a Sunderland triumph by a solitary goal, BetVictor make the Black Cats 21/2 to nick it 1-0 and Jermain Defoe, is 11/2 at the same firm to break the deadlock.

A run of five consecutive Championship victories means Middlesbrough are second, five points ahead of the chasing pack and Aitor Karanka’s team have been slashed to 4/11 by bet365 to gain promotion.

They’re also 10/11 with BetVictor to finish top but face a stern test as they travel to third-placed Reading. Winner.com rate Boro at 31/20 to get the better of the Royals, 15/8 chances at Stan James, and Skybet mark 23/10 against an inconclusive affair at the Madejski Stadium.

The latter could attract cash while travelling fans might be tempted to back their side at 4/5 in Ladbrokes’s ‘Draw No Bet’ market but for the more optimistic Stan James’s 10/3 for Middlesbrough to prevail by a solitary goal is worth considering.

It’s 8/11 (Paddy Power) to see both teams find the net, Winner.com make Boro evens to do so first and William Hill chalk David Nugent up at 11/2 to grab that opener.

In League Two, BetVictor quote Hartlepool at 7/4 beat Luton (8/5, Stan James) and it’s 12/5 via bet365 for a draw.

Odds supplied by www.betrescue.com

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