Warnock favoured early for Elland Road hotseat

JUST three weeks after he was sacked by QPR, Neil Warnock has been installed as an early odds-on favourite to be the next manager of Championship side Leeds.

Simon Grayson was dismissed on Wednesday after the Elland Road outfit were thumped 4-1 at home to Birmingham even though the Whites are just three points outside the play-off places.

Warnock is 4-5 to take the reins under chairman Ken Bates, who reportedly offered the former Sheffield United and Crystal Palace boss the opportunity to manage Chelsea in 1991 only
for Warnock to turn down the offer.

Others in the frame include Steve Bruce, who was relieved of his duties as Sunderland manager in December, and Roberto di Matteo, currently working as an assistant to Andre Villas-Boas at Stamford Bridge.

Bruce is 6-1 with Boylesports while di Matteo is 13-2 with Paddy Power who are as short as 4-1 about Gary Kelly.

BetVictor are 10-1 about Kelly, the same price as temporary chief Neil Redfern while Huddersfield's Lee Clark is 14-1.

Former Leeds assistant manager Gus Poyet could be of interest at 20-1 if he could be persuaded to return from Brighton. Ex-Derby and Nottingham Forest boss Billy Davies and Alan Curbishley are the same price to try to get Leeds back in the promotion frame.

Newcastle midfielder Yohan Cabaye has been banned for three matches after being found guilty of violent conduct by the FA.

Cabaye was punished for kicking out at Brighton’s Adam El-Abd in his team’s 1-0 FA Cup defeat on Saturday.

He missed Wednesday night’s match with Blackburn and will be unavailable for games against Aston Villa and Tottenham.

Arsenal have confirmed that Jack Wilshere is sufferingfrom a stress fracture to his right foot (heel) but are refusing to rule the England international midfielder out for the season.

Wilshere has not featured yet because of an ankle problem that required surgery but this is a fresh injury to a different area.