Queens Park Rangers (2/1 – Premier League relegation), Norwich City and Reading are still waiting for their first wins in the Premier League this season but, with plenty of points up for grabs, there is no need to press the panic button just yet.
There is no doubting that Mark Hughes is one of the managers who is under the most pressure to keep hold of his job in the top flight, with the Hoops spending big bucks over the summer to strengthen the squad at Loftus Road.
Hughes has had the backing of the chairman recently, which is always a worrying development for a man in his position.
With three defeats on the bounce, Rangers’ clash at home to Everton on Sunday is a massive game, even though the London outfit are just two points off safety (QPR 11/5, draw 9/4, Everton 6/5 – Match Betting).
Six goals in seven matches show that finding the back of the net has been difficult for Hughes’ men.
But, with the likes of Bobby Zamora, David Hoilett, Jamie Mackie and Djibril Cisse in their ranks and the ability spend money on a striker in January, it should not be long before QPR start bagging goals and climb out the relegation zone.
Having seen manager Paul Lambert make the switch to Aston Villa over the summer, Norwich (8/13 – Premier League relegation) are really struggling, with what appears to be that classic ’second season syndrome’.
The Canaries finished comfortably in mid-table last season and could have been placed higher had they not had a sloppy end to the campaign, as they knew their Premier League status was secure.
Chris Hughton has struggled to build on the work done by his predecessor and, with 17 goals conceded in their first seven games, the problems in defence have been clear at Carrow Road.
A 4-1 defeat to Chelsea in their last outing will not have done Norwich’s confidence any good and things won’t get any easier when they host Arsenal on Saturday (Norwich 11/8, draw 9/4, Arsenal 15/8 – Match Betting).
Unless Norwich can cause some major upsets in the coming weeks then it could well be a long old season for the Canaries.
Reading (8/11 – Premier League relegation) make up the last of the trio still searching for their first thee points and, like Hughes and Hughton, Brian McDermott has been somewhat unlucky not to have guided his side to a victory.
In Russian striker Pavel Pogrebnyak, the Royals have a man who can get goals and, although he has made a relatively slow start to the season, he is likely end up as the top goalscorer at the Madejski this term.
Reading will have a job on their hands to stay up this season but if they can get their home form sorted they should have a good chance of survival, although hosting a resurgent Liverpool this weekend will be tough (Reading 8/11, draw 7/2, Liverpool 17/2 Match Betting).
With Everton, Arsenal and Liverpool the next opponents for the struggling trio at the bottom of the table, they might have to wait beyond this weekend for their first win in the Premier League but the battle to avoid the drop is really just beginning.
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