Russell Martin needs to turn Southampton’s fortunes around (Picture: Getty Images)
He was our selection at 14/1, 8/1 and even 7/2, now Russell Martin is the red-hot favourite to be the next Premier League manager to leave his post.
It looked as if there was going to be a vacancy in the hot seat at St Mary’s when Erling Haaland scored after just five minutes at Manchester City on Saturday but some dogged defending combined with wasteful finishing meant it was the only goal of the game.
The net result, however, is Southampton are still searching for their first win of the season and are bottom of the table with just one point from nine games.
Even more embarrassing they have the fewest points in all four divisions in English football and at this rate they are going to struggle to surpass the 25 points they gained when they were relegated as the bottom club in the top division two years ago.
Their next match is a Carabao Cup tie at home to Stoke on Tuesday, followed by a home game with improving Everton, a trip to fellow strugglers Wolves then toughies at St Mary’s against Liverpool, along the south coast at Brighton, home to Chelsea and away at Aston Villa before Tottenham travel down from London to face them in the middle of December.
Erling Haaland’s goal for Manchester City increased the pressure on Southampton boss Russell Martin (Picture: Danehouse/Getty Images)
The way it’s going, they could be out of the Carabao Cup and cast adrift at the foot of the table after that run of fixtures so it is little wonder Martin is odds on with most firms and no bigger than 5/4 with Bet Victor to be the next top-flight manager to join the unemployed ranks.
Saints are no better than 1/5 with Betway to be relegated and 5/4 with bet365 to finish bottom and while they are odds-on favourites to beat Stoke, extra-time looms large at 18/5 with BetMGM against a team who had one win and three draws before losing 2-0 at high-flying Sheffield United at the weekend.
• The Pittsburgh Steelers are 11/8 with BoyleSports to beat shockingly awful visitors the New York Giants by more than a touchdown in the NFL’s Monday Night Football action.
• The New York Rangers have made a strong start to the NHL season with six wins from their first eight games and are 11/1 with Paddy Power and Betfair to bring the Stanley Cup back to Madison Square Garden.
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