It might be April but Newcastle continue to be underestimated by the bookmakers and they should be shorter than the odds available to beat Bolton on Monday.
Four consecutive wins in the Premier League have maintained Newcastle’s push for Europe but it is now a Champions League place that the Magpies are eyeing and there is every chance they could sneak into the top four come the end of the season.
A terrific win at Swansea on Friday, thanks to a brace from the prolific Papiss Cisse, has left Alan Pardew’s side just three points adrift of Tottenham and, with only six games remaining, Newcastle may be able to overhaul their more celebrated rivals.
With another home match to come after hosting Wanderers, against Stoke, and then a trip to Wigan in their next three fixtures, Pardew will be targeting nine points before he takes his side to Stamford Bridge early next month and Newcastle should be able to get the better of the visitors.
It has been a trying month for Bolton but they responded wonderfully well to the Fabrice Muamba saga and gave themselves a very realistic hope of survival with three consecutive wins.
However, they were poor when thrashed 3-0 in front of their own fans against Fulham last time out and manager Owen Coyle needs to galvanise his troops for the trip to the north-east.
Still extremely tight at the bottom, Bolton are just one point clear of the relegation zone, Wanderers need everything they can get in their bid to beat the drop, but Newcastle are superior in every department and, in Cisse, possess the Premier League’s most in-form striker.
Nine goals in just eight Premier League starts indicates the Senegalese forward has been another excellent piece of business in the transfer market and Newcastle deserve plenty of credit for how they have performed both on and off the field this campaign after an unsettling summer.
At 1.62 with Paddy Power, Newcastle must be supported to claim the maximum haul on Monday afternoon, they are just 1.50 elsewhere, and are easily the best betting proposition on a tricky looking day in the English top flight.
3pts Back Newcastle (vs. Bolton) @ 1.62 (Paddy Power)