Pearson favourite to take over as Boro swing the axe

Nigel Pearson is the bookmakers’ favourite to become Middlesbrough’s next permanent manager after Aitor Karanka was sacked Thursday.

Pearson is 21-10 with Paddy Power to be next in at the Riverside following the decision to axe Karanka with Boro in a precarious Premier League position.

Nineteenth in the table and without a league win since Christmas, Middlesbrough are 4-11 to be relegated and 7-4 to stay up.

Manchester United at home is the next fixture for the strugglers.

Steve Agnew has been put in charge temporarily and he can be backed at 5-1 to get the gig on a permanent basis.

Former Boro boss Steve McClaren is 12-1 and Guus Hiddink is available at a best-priced 14-1, although Ladbrokes reported money for the Dutchman who is as low as 5-1 in places.

Karanka’s last match in charge was a 2-0 FA Cup defeat at the hands of Manchester City but Pep Guardiola’s side were unable to build on that victory with a Champions League last-16 exit at the hands of Monaco.

It was Guardiola’s worst performance in the competition as a manager and bet365 offer 8-1 that he bounces back by winning the tournament during his Etihad tenure.

Tiemoue Bakayoko’s late header condemned City to an away-goals defeat following a 6-6 draw on aggregate as Monaco won 3-1 on the night.

Jermain Defoe has been recalled to the England squad for the friendly away to Germany next Wednesday and home World Cup qualifier against Lithuania four days later at Wembley.

Betway reacted by making the 34-year-old 9-2 to be in England’s squad for the World Cup finals in Russia next year.
England squad – goalkeepers: Forster, Hart, Heaton; defenders: Bertrand, Cahill, Clyne, Jones, Keane, Shaw, Smalling, Stones, Walker; midfielders: Alli, Antonio, Barkley, Dier, Lallana, Lingard, Livermore, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Redmond, Sterling, Ward-Prowse; forwards: Defoe, Rashford, Vardy.