Chelsea cut to retain Premiership crown

We may be less than halfway through the Ashes series, but there's just a week to go until the start of the English Premiership season and bet365 have come up with a host of bets for the new campaign. Champions Chelsea have been shortened from evens (2.00) to 4/5 (1.80) after a solid pre-season and the expectation of a couple more big names to come in before the transfer window closes at the end of the month.

Jose Mourninho's side broke all kinds of records in winning their first top-flight title in 50 years last season, and it's no surprise to see them at the head of the market this time round. However, given that Arsenal have not successfully defended their title under Arsene Wenger, despite all their success, 4/5 (1.80) may be a little tight. Mourinho has already been moaning about the fixture list - they play away in the league after their first five European Champions League games, and winning a second title is often harder than the first.

Arsenal, deposed as champions by Chelsea and keen to regain their title, have also been cut slightly from 12/5 (3.40) to 2/1 (3.00) while Manchester United, the most successful club of the 1990s by a street, are also 2/1 (3.00), from 11/4 (3.75) to win for the first time since the 2002/2003 season. Such is the closeness of the title race these days, the outright prices on the big three don't offer much value. Indeed, my experience over the past five years or so is that you will almost certainly be able to back each of them at longer odds at some stage than they are before start the season. A couple of poor results from one and you're likely to see them at 5-1 or better.

Liverpool, who beat Chelsea on the way to a stunning Champions League triumph, are fourth favourites, and though bet365 clearly think it'll be a three-horse race again, they have cut Rafael Benitez's side to 16/1 (17.00) from 20/1 (21.00). Then they go 100/1 Newcastle, and 150/1 Tottenham Hotspur.

At the wrong end, bet365 are taking no chances by offering the three promoted clubs, Sunderland, Wigan Athletic and West Ham United, as favourites to go straight back whence they came.

West Ham, who came up via the play-offs, are the favourites to last just one season in the top flight, at 4/7 (1.57), while Championship winners Sunderland are 8/13 (1.61) and Wigan, in the top league for the first time, are 4/6 (1.66) to go down. West Bromwich Albion, who escaped relegation in a dramatic last day of action last season, are 11/10 (2.10) to not be so lucky this time round, but they have been supported after some astute buys in the off-season. Portsmouth are 2/1 (3.00) and Fulham, who have lost a couple of their best players, are now only 100/30 (4.30) from 4/1 (5.00) to go down.

OTHER MARKETS Thierry Henry once again tops the betting to be top goalscorer in the Premiership and with doubts about whether Ruud van Nistelrooy will play for Manchester United this season and the likely rotation of the strikers at Old Trafford, he looks a solid favourite at 9/4 (3.25). The Frenchman has been the star of the past few seasons and it would be no surprise to see him prosper once again. Van Nistelrooy is 5/1 (6.00), while Wayne Rooney is 8/1 (9.00) and Hernan Crespo, who's returned to Chelsea from Milan after a spell away on loan, is 9/1 (10.00). Team-mate Didier Drogba is 12/1, while other notable entries are Djibril Cisse of Liverpool at 16/1 (17.00) and veteran Newcastle striker Alan Shearer at 25/1 (26.00).

One of the most popular pre-season markets is the sack race, concerning the next manager to permanently leave his job. This market is topped by Graeme Souness, whose continual wrangling with players at St James's Park has caused the bookies to rate him as an 11/2 (6.50) chance. Chris Coleman, who, as mentioned, has lost several of his best players at Fulham, is 6/1 (7.00), the same price as Charlton's Alan Curbishley. Portsmouth's Alain Perrin is 8/1 (9.00 while probably the most surprising price is that of just 16/1 that Sir Alex Ferguson will be the first manager to leave, though maybe the bookies are anticipating an early stand-off with the club's new American owner.

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Please note that odds are correct at time of publication and are subject to change.