What do Leicester, Ipswich and Southampton have in common? Aside from being promoted from the Championship, of course.
It’s no surprise they are the favourites to be go straight back to the second tier but what’s more concerning for their fans in the immediate future is they could also be united in having to look for a new manager before the next season.
Leicester manager Enzo Maresca is on Chelsea’s shortlist to replace Mauricio Pochettino, Manchester United are keen on Ipswich manager Kieran McKenna, who has previously been on the coaching staff at Old Trafford, while Saints chief Russell Martin could move along the south coast to replace Roberto De Zerbi at Brighton.
Could all three clubs go straight back down? That’s what happened at the end of this season when Sheffield United, Burnley and Luton all made an immediate return to the Championship but that was something of an anomaly.
It is only the second time since the Premier League came into existence in 1992 that it has happened, the other being at the end of the 1997/98 campaign when Barnsley, Bolton and Crystal Palace all failed to survive.
What’s more, all three promoted clubs have stayed up on four occasions – the most recent being in 2022/23 when Fulham, Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth escaped the axe.
The Foxes are no better than 2/1 ON to be relegated which is hardly a shock as they face the prospect of a points deduction after violating Premier League financial rules while Ipswich, who were playing in League One just two seasons ago, look a good price to go down at 10/11 with bet365, even though they finished fifth when they were promoted in 1999/2000.
Southampton are probably the best value to make an immediate return as they finished bottom, cast adrift from the rest of the division, with just 25 points two years ago and they will have to spend wisely on a vast number of new recruits to finish above the bottom three.
They are 7/4 with bet365 which is the same price Betway have for Everton to be relegated although the Toffees appear to have a far stronger squad than the other candidates for the drop.
• Last year’s Derby winner Auguste Rodin is a quirky type capable of moments of both sheer brilliance and poor performances. Victory in the Epsom Classic was followed by success in the Irish Derby and the Irish Champion Stakes before success in the Breeders Cup Turf in Santa Anita in November.
But Aidan O’Brien’s colt underwhelmed in the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket and the King George at Ascot and was last of 12 in the Dubai Sheema Classic at Meydan on his debut this year in March.
Finishing second to the useful White Birch at the Curragh at the weekend may have got Auguste Rodin back in shape and a return to Epsom for Friday’s Coronation Cup could see him take further strides in the right direction. He’s definitely worth an each-way flutter at 20/1 with numerous firms including Paddy Power, Betfair and bet365.
• Novak Djokovic has yet to reach the final of a tournament this year and isn’t expected to make a successful defence of his French Open title, but he will prove too good for world No.143 Pierre-Hughes Herbert, who is more at home in doubles competition, in the first round at Roland Garros. Take Djokovic to win by more than 9.5 games at 21/20 with William Hill and also double him up with Alex De Minaur to beat Alex Michelson in straight sets at 7/10 with the same firm.
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