Sports Betting: Dismal Everton now just 11-10 to be relegated

The scale of the task facing Howard Kendall and Everton as they prop up the Premiership was quantified yesterday, when William Hill adjusted their odds on which teams will be relegated next May. Only

Barnsley are rated more likely to make the drop to the Nationwide League.

Everton are now just11-10 to be relegated, and more worrying still for their supporters is the fact that, while Barnsley are still rated near- certainties to go down, their price is at least moving in the right direction. Danny Wilson's side were 1-16, only a couple of weeks ago, but took three points at Anfield and were within a goal-line clearance of taking a 3- 0 lead against Leeds.

Southampton, too, have been showing at least the glimmer of some form, while Bolton got their first home win on Saturday and Sheffield Wednesday and Spurs too are starting to pull themselves out of the mire.

It is impossible to find three teams in a worse position, or with worse form, than Everton, and were it not for the distinct possibility that Kendall will be on his way sooner rather than later, they would be a good bet for the drop, even at such short odds.

The struggle to move in the opposite direction is just as desperate, though at present the layers seem satisfied that Forest and Middlesbrough will go up . In such a tight division, though, it seems strange that the likes of Sunderland are available at double-figure odds now that they have started to score some goals, while even teams like Wolves, who play Forest in a fortnight's time, have more than enough time left to muscle their way into calculations.

TO BE RELEGATED FROM THE PREMIERSHIP: Hills: 1-7 Barnsley, 11-10 Everton, Southampton, 11-8 C. Palace, 13-8 Coventry, 7-4 Bolton, 11-4 Sheff Wed, 11-2 Tottenham, 7-1 Wimbledon, 8-1 West Ham, 16-1 Aston Villa, Derby, 20-1 Leicester.

TO WIN NATIONWIDE LEAGUE DIVISION ONE: Tote: 5-4 Notts Forest, 6-4 Middlesbrough, 9-2 Sheffield United, 10-1 Sunderland, 12-1 West Brom, 25-1 Charlton, 28-1 Wolves, 40-1 Stockport, 50-1 Swindon, 66-1 QPR, 100-1 Birmingham, 125-1 Bradford, 150-1 Ipswich, Stoke, 200-1 Man City, Norwich, 250-1 bar.

Each-way 1/5 odds a place, 1, 2, 3