As the new Premier League season draws closer, we at InterBet will continue our build-up with yet more fantastic odds and tips on several betting markets. We have already covered the outright betting market, offering an insight on which of the ‘Big Six’ have the best chance of lifting the Premier League title next summer. Now, we move to the bottom end of the league, assessing those teams likely to be fighting to avoid relegation throughout the 2019/20 campaign.
Relegation &
Sheffield United
Last Season – Championship (2nd)
Odds – 4/6
Chris Wilder’s Sheffield United were the Championship’s surprise package last season, earning promotion against all odds. However, they are being tipped for any immediate return to the second tier.
The Blades have smashed their transfer record twice during the summer transfer window to bring in Lyn Mousset (£10m) and Callum Robinson (£6m) from AFC Bournemouth and Preston North End respectively whilst Luke Freeman has also been brought in from QPR for a fee in the region of £5m. However, that modest spending compared the several other relegation favourites will leave United right up against it.
United had the meanest defence in the Championship last season and their Premier League survival could depend on their ability to transfer that form into the top flight. Dean Henderson has signed on loan from Manchester United to bolster the defensive line whilst Phil Jagielka has returned to his boyhood club twelve years after leaving Bramall Lane for Everton.
Up top, Oli McBurnie is tipped to complete a £20m transfer from Swansea City and could form an exciting strikeforce alongside Mousset, Billy Sharp and the mercurial talent, Ravel Morrison.
Norwich City
Last Season – Championship (1st)
Odds – 9/10
Norwich City were the Championship’s great entertainers last season, outscoring every other side in the division as the romped to the title by a five-point margin from Sheffield United. 29-year old Finnish forward, Teemu Pukki, scored 29 of Norwich’s 93 league goals last season and he will again be expected to lead the Canaries’ goal scoring charts. InterBet’s offer of 8/15 on Pukki topping the Norwich City scoring charts could be one of the best bets of the summer!
Norwich City are yet to make a major dent in their transfer kitty during the window but their fans will be delighted to see that they’ve held onto Jamal Lewis and Max Aarons. The dynamic full-backs are instrumental in the way that manager, Daniel Farke, sets The Canaries up.
Farke’s Norwich will experience a baptism of fire on their return to the top flight as they open the season on Friday night away to Liverpool at Anfield.
Brighton & Hove Albion
Last Season – 17th
Odds – 9/5
Brighton survived last season by the skin of their teeth and will need to drastically improve on the form they’ve shown so far in 2019. The Seagulls have won just twice in the league in 2019 with both of those victories coming way back in March. That dismal run of form was enough to convince owner, Tony Bloom, to make a managerial change. The popular Chris Hughton was axed and former Swansea City coach, Graham Potter, was drafted in as his replacement.
The Seagulls have made two major signings so far this summer, recruiting Matt Clarke from Portsmouth in a £5m deal before splashing out £18m on Belgian midfielder, Leandro Trossard. Brentford forward, Neal Maupay, is rumoured to be on Brighton’s radar but the 22-year old will cost any prospective suitors in excess of £20m.
Only the three relegated sides failed to better Brighton’s return of just 35 league goals last term and you feel finding the back of the net could again prove rather tricky for Brighton. Glenn Murray is 5/4 favourite to finish as the club’s top scorer but at the age of 35 even the seemingly age-less Murray could find the upcoming campaign one season too far in the top flight.
Burnley
Last Season – 15th
Odds – 9/5
Burnley endured an awful 2018/19 season, finishing 14 points and eight places below those achieved a year earlier. Supporters will hope the dip in form was down to their Europa League participation but at odds of just 9/5 they could be set to end their four-year stay in the Premier League.
Jay Rodriguez has returned to Turf Moor in a £10m deal and will further bolster a frontline that already includes both Chris Wood and Ashley Barnes. Meanwhile, 19-year old Englishman, Dwight McNeil, could be the Clarets’ stand-out performer after a string of encouraging displays towards the end of last season.
Aston Villa
Last Season – Championship (5th)
Odds – 2/1
Aston Villa are back in the big time after a three-year absence but after spending more than £120m already in this window fans will be hoping their side do not ‘do a Fulham’.
This time last year Fulham were one of the most active sides in the transfer market but were in complete disarray throughout the season. More than £100m spent, three managers and a disappointing return of just seven league wins all season confirmed Fulham’s immediate return to the Championship.
Whilst Aston Villa have followed Fulham’s lead in splashing the cash, bringing in no fewer than twelve new players, it does seem that they have more of a strategy than the scattergun approach adopted by the Londoners.
Villa had the worst defensive record of the three promoted clubs, conceding 61 times in their 46 league games. That statistic prompted manager, Dean Smith, to recruit a whole host of defensive reinforcements, including Tyrone Mings (£20m), Matt Targett (£15m), Ezri Konsa (£12m), Bjorn Engels and Kortney Hause (£3m). However, their most expensive acquisition so far this summer came in the form of £22m Brazilian forward, Wesley Moraes. The 22-year old was on the radar of several English clubs but opted to switch Club Brugge in Belgium for Villa Park.
Despite a huge outlay on transfers, keeping hold of talisman, Jack Grealish, could represent Aston Villa’s best bit of business this summer.
Newcastle United
Last Season – 13th
Odds – 9/4
Despite forking out a club-record fee of £40m for Hoffeinheim forward, Joelinton, Newcastle United remain one of the favourites for relegation this season. The coming season could prove a difficult one at St James Park. Fans’ favourite, Rafa Benitez, has been replaced as manager by Steve Bruce and another failed takeover bid has left the Magpies on the verge of a major fan revolt.
A lack of spending in recent seasons has been a key factor in fan dissatisfaction and is believed to have been a major factor in Benitez’s departure earlier this summer. Newcastle United look short in numbers across the pitch and find themselves at risk of enduring a fate similar to that handed out to local rivals, Sunderland. A lack of investment at the Stadium of Light saw Sunderland regress gradually, their squad eventually reached breaking point resulting in back-to-back relegations.
Other Selections
AFC Bournemouth – 9/2
Southampton – 9/2
Crystal Palace – 5/1
Watford – 11/2
West Ham United – 12/1
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