Sunderland join Cardiff and Fulham as odds-on for drop

Coral have slashed their price on Sunderland losing Premier League status to an odds-on 10/11 in light of their loss at Norwich City – and prospect of receiving a hiding from 5/2 title chances Liverpool.

Gus Poyet’s Black Cats have two games in hand on some of their relegation rivals, but they are both against teams in the current top-four. Marcos Alonso saw red for a second booking at Carrow road, so the Wearside outfit look set to use former Anfield flop Andrea Dossena at left back when they travel to the Reds on March 26th.

Cardiff City and basement club Fulham, meanwhile, are now joint-favourites at 2/7 to go down, 6/4 to finish bottom and 5/2 outsiders to stay up. Both sides lost heavily to Liverpool and Manchester City respectively.

Beating Sunderland has enhanced Norwich’s chances of remaining in the top-flight for a fourth successive season, and Coral now make them 9/2 (from 7/4) for that stay to end. Odds on West Bromwich Albion, who have just the one win under Spanish head coach Pepe Mel, have not been altered dramatically, despite defeat at Hull City.

The Baggies were 7/2 shots for the drop before losing 2-0 at the KC Stadium, but Coral have only shortened their odds marginally to 10/3. Steve Bruce’s Tigers are now 22/1 outsiders to make an immediate return to the Championship.

Crystal Palace had what looked to be a hard-earned away point at Newcastle United snatched away from them at the death. The Eagles, who have never stayed up in the Premier League era, are 13/10 (from 6/4) to be relegated under Tony Pulis – a manager who is yet to taste that.

Stoke City, meanwhile, are virtually safe and need one more win to reach the safe haven of 40 points. Punters can get massive odds of 100/1 on Mark Hughes’ Potters going down after they came from behind to thrash Aston Villa (33/1 shots for the drop).

West Ham (10/1) and Swansea City (8/1) both endured defeats, but have cushions of four and six points apiece on the bottom three.