Revealed! The shocking odds surrounding Rafa Benitez's future at Newcastle United

A report compiled by OddsMonkey suggests that Benitez is among the favourites to be relieved of his duties during the early weeks of the season.

The Spaniard is 9/1 to become the first top flight manager to be sacked - making him the fourth favourite.

WATCH: Behind the scenes footage from Dublin as Newcastle United take to the pitchWatford boss Javi Garcia (4/1) is the favourite to get the chop, while Mark Hughes (6/1) and Claude Puel (7/1) are also thought to be at risk.

With uncertainty surrounding Benitez's future on Tyneside, the odds may come as little surprise to supporters.

The Newcastle boss is yet to sign a new deal at St James's Park and it is looking likely that he will once again have to wheel and deal in the transfer market.

And that is reflected in the bookies belief that the former Real Madrid boss could be one of the first to lose his job.

TOUR DIARY: Miles Starforth with the latest from Newcastle's training camp“We are not even in August and already the public are baying for blood,” said OddsMonkey spokesman Pete Watton.

“But last season we saw he first casualty Frank de Boer just a month into the season, and we saw nearly half the Premier League jobs come up for grabs.

“Javi Gracia has been in charge for less than 12-months but already people believe that he won’t be given too much of a chance during this off-season.

“Of the others, it is no surprise to see Hughes, Puel and Benitez in the mix as they all led the Sack Race at different times last season, and the fact Hughes is now at Southampton rather than Stoke, does not convince anyone that he will have any extra longevity.

“New appointments Manuel Pellegrini and Maurizio Sarri at West Ham and Chelsea respectively, are rated 16/1 shots so the public believe they are far from safe – although they think Unai Emery at Arsenal looks somewhat safer at 25/1.

MORE: Why does Rafa Benitez stay close to home during pre-season?“The man who is safest as it stands, looks to be Manchester City chief Pep Guardiola – he is a 50/1 to go first, but we actually think that is slightly slim and it could and should be ten times that.”