Jose Mourinho drifts to be first Premier League boss to lose job

Jose Mourinho looked so sure to be heading out of Old Trafford that bookmakers stopped betting on the next Premier League manager to leave on Saturday. But now the Manchester United boss is clinging on to power and drifting in betting.

The Red Devils boss is still the odds-on favourite to be the first top-flight casualty of 2018-19 but he was a 4-6 shot on Monday night. That is grim news for those who backed him down to as short as 1-7 on Saturday morning based on the presumption of one tabloid which declared him doomed whatever happened against Newcastle.

The manner of United’s fightback against the Magpies – they won 3-2 from 2-0 down – was impressive, though the pressure on Mourinho could well be ratcheted up again straight after the international break – their next two fixtures are at his former club Chelsea in the Premier League and at home to Juventus in the Champions League.

Neil Warnock, still awaiting a first win with Cardiff, is second favourite behind Mourinho but there has been support for former outsider Slavisa Jokanovic to beat Mourinho out of the exit door.

Hills slashed the Fulham boss to 14-1 from 40-1 following the Cottagers’ 5-1 home battering by Arsenal on Sunday.

One name punters seem to have no interest in is Mauricio Pochettino, but Ladbrokes on Monday quoted Tottenham’s head coach at 3-1 in their betting on Julen Lopetegui’s potential replacement at Real Madrid. Lopetegui, appointed at the Bernabeu only in June, is under growing pressure with European champions Real on a ropey run of four games without a goal.

Liverpool and Manchester City have both been cut by BoyleSports to go through the Premier League season unbeaten in the wake of their 0-0 draw at Anfield on Sunday. City are 14-1 and Liverpool 33-1, while Chelsea, also undefeated after eight matches, are 66-1 shots.

Jurgen Klopp’s Reds would probably have been beaten had Riyad Mahrez tucked away his late penalty at the weekend. Having ballooned his effort high over the bar while regular spot-kick exponent Sergio Aguero sat on the bench, Betway rate the Algerian an 8-1 chance to take City’s next penalty.

Phil Neville's England women's team are 4-6 to beat 100-30 shots Australia in Tuesday's televised international (BT Sport 1, 7pm).

Read every day for no-nonsense previews and expert sports betting tips

Sign up to emails from Racing Post Sport and get all the latest news and tips

Today's top sports betting stories

Follow us on Twitter @racingpostsport

Like us on Facebook RacingPostSport