Rafa’s recovery record must continue against Sunderland

Liverpool/Sunderland, Tues 8pm, SkySpts2, Free Bets, Best Odds

Liverpool have recovered from their last four Premier League defeats to win their next game. Sunderland discovered this habit the hard way last season when Rafael Benitez’s side bounced back from a 1-0 loss at West Ham to beat the Black Cats 3-0 at Anfield. Will the Reds bounce back again?

» Liverpool have won just two of their last eight domestic home games.

» However, Benitez’s side have won their last five encounters with Sunderland whilst shutting them out on each occasion. The hosts are 5/4 with Ladbrokes to win to nil on Tuesday.

» Sunderland are unbeaten in four Premier League matches, which is their longest run without a top-flight loss since November 2002. The fourth match of that run saw them grab a goalless draw at Anfield.

Posted: March 2nd, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

Keane emerges as a contender to take charge of Portsmouth

Former Sunderland boss is priced as low as 4/1 with Bet365

Roy Keane has overtaken Alan Curbishley to become the third favourite to become Portsmouth’s third manager of the season.

Avram Grant and Sven-Goran Eriksson still head the betting but the Irishman has gone from not having much involvement in the market before today to being priced between 4/1 and 5/1 with most bookmakers.

Posted: February 11th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

Sunderland 26/1 to beat the champions at Old Trafford

Man Utd/Sunderland, 5.30 Sat, Setanta Sp 1, Best Odds, Free Bets

It’s rare for the odds on a football match to change too drastically in the days before it takes place but Sunderland drifted from 23/1 to 27/1 on Betfair following Roy Keane’s resignation as manager. That price has since been cut to 26/1 as punters realised how large the odds had become but it’s still hard to see the Black Cats taking anything. Here are the key facts:

SUNDERLAND HAVE IMPROVED ON THE ROAD
Last season it was Sunderland’s home form that kept them in the Premier League but this campaign they have operated in reverse. They have the third worst home record in the league but only eight teams have taken more points on the road than them, where they have won twice, drawn twice and lost three times.

BUT SADLY FOR THEM, UNITED ARE BETTER AT HOME

Posted: December 5th, 2008 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

Curbishley’s odds cut for the Sunderland job

Click here for all the latest odds on this market

Alan Curbishley, the manager who chickendinner identified as the best candidate for the Sunderland job has had been cut from 8/1 to 7/2 in Paddy Power’s market on who will succeed Roy Keane.

Posted: December 5th, 2008 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

Sunderland relegation odds tumble following Keane’s exit

Black Cats fall below Blackburn as third-favourites for the drop

Paddy Power have cut Sunderland’s odds on being relegated this season from 12/5 to 2/1 following Roy Keane’s resignation earlier today.

Their problems could worsen when they travel to Old Trafford at the weekend but after that they face a trio of vital games against West Brom, Hull and Blackburn from which they could all plausibly take points.

That set of fixtures combined with the possibility of new manager syndrome - see Harry Redknapp at Spurs - could turn Sunderland’s fortunes around but it’s difficult to judge until Roy Keane’s successor is announced. Sam Allardyce is the favourite and is now as low as 5/4 with Bet365.

Click here for all the latest odds.

Posted: December 4th, 2008 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

Roy Keane quits Sunderland

Will Curbishley be reunited with McCartney and Ferdinand?

Alan Curbishley quit West Ham earlier this season after Anton Ferdinand and George McCartney were sold to Sunderland over his head. Paddy Power now make him 6/1 to be reunited with them at the Stadium of Light after Roy Keane left the club.

Former Newcastle boss Sam Allardyce is 4/1 favourite closely followed by Gordon Strachan at 5/1 but chickendinner considers Curbishley the man to beat at this early stage in proceedings.

Despite the news only just breaking, Paddy Power have already inserted some comedy options into the market with Kevin Keegan at 40/1 and Keane’s autobiography ghostwriter turned major critic Eamon Dunphy 200/1. Harry “this is my last job” Redknapp is a 50/1 outsider.

Posted: December 4th, 2008 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment