Newcastle United: Jose Mourinho installed as new bookies favourite to replace Eddie Howe
Newcastle United could soon appoint Jose Mourinho as their next manager after his odds to replace Eddie Howe were slashed by a leading UK bookmaker.
Howe's future was plunged into deeper uncertainty after Newcastle's 2-1 loss to Crystal Palace on Sunday afternoon.
William Osula had given the Magpies the lead at Selhurst Park, but a second-half brace by Jean-Philippe Mateta meant that the three points stayed in South London.
Newcastle's hopes of qualifying for a European competition are quickly fading, as they sit 14th in the Premier League with 42 points accrued.
There is a feeling that Newcastle's next managerial appointment is around the corner, with Mourinho now tipped to return to English football on Tyneside soon.
Jose Mourinho is the joint 4/1 favourite to be next Newcastle manager
Mourinho's Premier League achievements speak for themselves, with three titles and three Manager of the Season awards across his two spells at Chelsea.
Now 63-years-old, he is currently in the midst of his second spell in charge of Portuguese giants Benfica, who are currently sitting third in the Liga Portugal.
| Manager | Games managed | Wins | Draws | Losses | Points per game |
| Jose Mourinho | 363 | 217 | 84 | 62 | 2.02 |
| Eddie Howe | 363 | 138 | 80 | 145 | 1.36 |
Sources recently revealed to Football Insider that Celtic are not interested in appointing Mourinho to replace Martin O'Neill, but reports out of Portugal are claiming that his future at Benfica is uncertain ahead of the summer.
Newcastle could sack Howe soon, and Mourinho has recently been installed as the 4/1 joint-favourite to be their next manager by one of the UK's leading bookmakers, alongside Andoni Iraola.
Who else is in contention to be the next Newcastle boss with the bookies?
Iraola is nearing the end of his contract at Bournemouth and could leave the club soon, with Crystal Palace also believed to be keeping tabs on his availability alongside the Magpies.
Oliver Glasner has confirmed that he is leaving Selhurst Park at the end of the campaign, and he is the third-favourite to be the next Newcastle boss with the same bookmaker, at odds of 5/1.
Fulham's Marco Silva is next up at 8/1 odds, while Barcelona hero Xavi is also believed to be in contention at 12/1.