Former Newcastle striker Michael Chopra fears manager Rafa Benitez could leave for pastures new if the club are relegated from the Premier League. Newcastle face the prospect of being relegated on Wednesday night if Sunderland beat Everton at the Stadium of Light, live on Sky Sports 1 HD.Chopra, who also had a two-year spell at Sunderland, ending in 2009, is worried Newcastle may struggle in the Championship with the players they have, especially if Benitez departs. Asked if he thought Benitez will leave if Newcastle are relegated, Chopra told Sky Sports News HQ: You would think that because other teams will be looking at him.People forget he was Real Madrid manager this time last year but Id like to see him stay if they get relegated because he is a great manager, and if he did stay I believe they would come straight back up. Chopra played 29 games for Newcastle including a Champions League tie against Barcelona in 2002 But if he goes I think they may struggle in the Championship because they dont have the type of players they had last time they went down in 2009. They dont have Kevin Nolan, the Joey Barton, or Andy Carroll; players that know about the Championship and players that are ready to fight for the football club. Chopra - Newcastle appointed Benitez too late There are too many foreign players where you wonder if theyll want to go to Cardiff on a Tuesday night or Brentford on a Wednesday night when its pouting down with rain. Those sorts of players wont want to do that so if they go down its not looking good for them. Chopra has questioned why fan-favourite Benitez was not brought in sooner Newcastle academy graduate Chopra, who went to the same school as Alan Shearer, is surprised the board did not act quicker to replace Steve McClaren when it became apparent a relegation battle was looming.They did it a few years ago when they appointed Alan Shearer as manager with eight games to go, and they knew they were in a position with probably 15 games to go that they were in a relegation fight, he added. Chopra turned out for the Sachin Tendulkar co-owned Kerala Blaster in the inaugural Indian Super League I dont know why the board and everyone left it so late to appoint Rafa and you look at what hes done, what hes done to the defence and the team and how hes got them playing.The fans love him and its a shame he hasnt had more time to do it because I believe coming into the last few games of the season they would have been firmly out of the relegation battle if he had been appointed earlier. Chopra - Newcastle appointed Benitez too late Chopra played with Jermain Defoe in Englands youth ranks and admits the Sunderland strikers form makes him a candidate to be named in Roy Hodgsons England squad on Thursday.Ive known Jermain since I was 15 years old, said Chopra who counts Cardiff, Ipswich and Indian Super League side Kerala Blasters among his former clubs. Chopra thinks Jermain Defoe must be in contention for Englands Euro 2016 squad I played with him from England U16s right through to the U21s and you knew then that if you give him a chance he will stick it in the back of the net.Newcastle dont have a 10 or 20-goal-a-season goalscorer whereas Sunderland do and that could be the difference between Sunderland staying up and Newcastle going down.I think Roy [Hodgson] has to look at him because he will be looking at players who are in form come the end of the season. Andros Townsend has been unbelievable for Newcastle says Chopra Another player Id like to see go is Andros Townsend. The last few weeks and months hes been unbelievable for Newcastle and if England want to go places theyve got to take in-form players.But Roy knows the game inside-out and he will have his own thinking. Defoe has been in and out of England squads his whole career and like I said before, give him a chance and hell stick it away. If England need him, hell do a job for them. Also See: Benitez rues missed chances Newcastle on brink after draw Allardyce: Defoe for England Borini aims to seal safety early Leander Dendoncker Belgium Jersey . The Australian is competing in his final season in Formula One and still looking for his first win this year. He will look to end Vettels run of six straight race wins on Sunday. Webber, who is fifth in the championship, earned his second pole from the past three races and 13th of his career. Toby Alderweireld Belgium Jersey . In taking its goal tally to 99 in all competitions already this season, City delivered another demonstration of its lethal firepower at Etihad Stadium to set up a fourth-round match at home to another second-tier team -- Watford. http://www.soccerbelgiumteamonline.com/Youri-Tielemans-UEFA-European-Belgium-Jersey/ . Tracey comes to the Blue Bombers after spending over a decade with Queens University. Most recently he was the schools assistant football coach. Koen Casteels Jersey . PAUL, Minn. Jan Vertonghen Belgium Jersey . The FA rejected Wilsheres appeal that the length of his punishment was "clearly excessive" and said Thursday his suspension begins with immediate effect. He will miss league matches against Chelsea on Monday and West Ham on Dec. BALTIMORE -- Mookie Betts is at his best when facing the Baltimore Orioles -- especially in cozy Camden Yards.Feasting again on Baltimore pitching, Betts homered twice and drove in five runs to carry the resurgent Boston Red Sox to a 5-3 victory Tuesday night.Betts hit a three-run drive in the fifth inning and added a tiebreaking two-run shot in the seventh. Hes batting .426 with 12 homers and 18 RBI in 11 games against the Orioles this season.Exactly one-quarter of his 28 home runs this season have come in Baltimore, where the left-field foul line is a mere 333 feet from the plate. Yet the right-handed hitting Betts insists theres no plausible explanation for his success in this ballpark.Im going to continue to say I dont know why, he said. Im just trying to put good swings on it and enjoy it.Red Sox manager John Farrell certainly gets a kick out of watching it.He feels comfortable in this ballpark and obviously sees the ball well, Farrell said.Betts had three homers and eight RBI in a 16-2 win over Arizona on Sunday, so its not as if hes only picking on the Orioles.Im sure there are some numbers to dictate that its more us, manager Buck Showalter said, but hes been having that type of year against most everybody.The victory lifted Boston into a tie with Baltimore in the AL East, one game behind division-leading Toronto.We all are well aware of what is at stake, where we are in the standings and who is around us, Farrell said.The Red Sox were in first place on July 21, then lost 13 of 20 before their current streak of five wins in row.Boston starter Eduardo Rodriguez had a no-hitter before leaving in the fifth inning with left hamstring tightness. The Red Sox hope they caught it early enough to keep the lefty in the rotation without missing a turn.Matt Barnes kept the Orioles hitless until Steve Pearce reached on a dribbler that got past the mound with one out in the seventh.Baltimore ended up batting around and tying the game at 3. After Matt Wieters hit a two-run single, Brad Ziegler (1-3) walked Adam Jones with the bases loaded before sstriking out Jonathan Schoop.ddddddddddddhe deadlock didnt last long. David Ortiz led off the eighth with a single against Brad Brach (7-2) and Betts lined an 0-1 pitch into the front row of seats beyond the left-field wall.Craig Kimbrel, the sixth Boston pitcher, worked a perfect ninth for his 21st save.Rodriguez and Yovani Gallardo were locked in a scoreless duel until the fifth. After Andrew Benintendi hit a leadoff double and Xander Bogaerts drew a one-out walk, Gallardo struck out Ortiz with a 2-2 fastball. Betts hit the next pitch over the left-field wall.PAPELBON RUMORFarrell confirmed that the team has had discussions with reliever Jonathan Papelbon, who was recently released by Washington. Papelbon pitched for Boston from 2005-11, primarily as a closer, but would not hold that same role if he returned, Farrell said.TRAINERS ROOMRed Sox: 3B Aaron Hill was scratched shortly before game time with right forearm tightness. ... RHP Steven Wright (right shoulder strain) will come off the DL next Tuesday. ... There is no timetable for RHP Koji Uehara (right pectoral strain) to throw off a mound, but he is doing better than anticipated, Farrell said. ... OF/C Blake Swihart underwent successful surgery on his left ankle Monday and is expected to be ready for spring training in 2017.Orioles: Showalter expects reliever Darren ODay (rotator cuff strain) to spend the minimum time on the DL and return on Aug. 27. ... LHP T.J. McFarland (inflamed left knee) gave up four hits and three runs in 1/3 inning for Class A Frederick in his first rehab game.UP NEXTRed Sox: LHP David Price (10-8. 4.29 ERA) starts in the finale of the series Wednesday night. Price has gone at least eight innings in eight of his 25 starts.Orioles: After the game, Showalter announced that RHP Dylan Bundy (6-3, 2.93) would start Wednesday in place of RHP Chris Tillman, whos experiencing shoulder discomfort and was moved back to Saturday vs. Houston. ' ' '