After Rafa Benitez’s rant this week, Jose Mourinho – fresh from a magnificent win in the Nou Camp for Real Madrid on Tuesday – is now 8/11 favourite to take over at Stamford Bridge for a second time.
It is hard to look beyond Mourinho with David Moyes and Gus Poyet (8s), Avram Grant 14s and Manuel Pellegrini 14s.
There have been nibbles for both Gianfranco Zola (25s) and Jurgen Klopp 20s, but Chelsea fans want to see Jose return.
Chelsea are 11/2 at betvictor.com for the FA Cup and 7/2 for the Europa League and it is possible that Benitez will win a trophy (if he doesn’t go before).
But it has been hard for both players and fans to warm to him and he was a very poor appointment.
The Blues are 2/5 to beat West Brom this weekend and with Romelu Lukaku unable to play against his parent club, they really must get back to winning ways.
They remain 1/4 to finish in the top four this season (11/4 not to).
QPR are 4/5 to finish bottom of the Premier League table (Reading 5/2 and 6s bar) after their defeat against Manchester United.
Rangers are now 1/7 to be relegated with Reading 2/9, Villa 4/5 and Wigan 11/10.
They travel to St Mary’s and are 10/3 for the win against a Southampton side who beat Manchester City in their last home game, although they did go down 4-2 to Newcastle at St James’ Park last weekend.
The Saints are 20/23 for the win, with the draw at 27/10.
Loic Remy at least made it back onto the pitch against United and we bet 2/5 he scores four or fewer Premier League goals this season and 7/4 five or more
Remy is 8/1 to score the opener at the weekend and 5/2 to score at any time with Bobby Zamora 9s.
There are still 33 points to play for and although an escape looks unlikely, while it is still mathematically possible Rangers must keep going – although a draw wouldn’t be enough.
Fulham travel to the Stadium of Light looking for revenge, given Sunderland won the reverse fixture at the Cottage earlier in the season.
As in that previous fixture the Whites meet a Black Cats side out of sorts of late but the hosts are 7/5 favourites with the visitors 9/4 and the draw 23/10.
Fulham are 5/2 for a top-10 finish (Sunderland 10/3) and with Swansea guaranteed a Europa League spot, it is possible that the Welsh side, currently 9th, will take their eye off the ball.
With 10th-placed Stoke only a point ahead of Martin Jol’s men and having to do without Robert Huth for three matches, I think there have been worse 5/2 shots – but they need a result on Saturday.
For all your weekend odds check out betvictor.com
Be lucky
Charlie
This post was last modified on 02/03/2013
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It's a must win game for Benitez and the players top four is a core course, they must focus their mind on the game. I know this season as gone for the title race but Benitez can still make use of his head by selecting a good and standard squad to play a very good matches till the end of this season. I believe Chelseafc and the owner Abramovich have learn from their mistakes by changing Coaches, it always affect the players. Not only will it affect the players even the environment and the fans. Abramovich should know this time if he get a Coach he should try and give them time and chance to rule not him (Abramovich) dictating for the players and the coach. The way he (Abramovich) sent Roberto di Matteo packing is totally wrong even the Board are not helping matters any slight mistake you will be fired no it should be but not in case of Benitez, he must go. Had it been he gave Robbie chance to prove himself alittle while atleast till the end of the season i know thing will not be worse like the way it is.