As we take stock of the current Premier League table, it’s clear that the managerial merry-go-round is not far away from spinning again. While some clubs have started the season with solid performances and seem to have their hierarchical structures firmly in place, the unforgiving nature of top-flight football ensures that not every manager will see out the campaign unscathed.
In this results-driven business, the margin for error is razor-thin. Erik ten Hag, who narrowly avoided becoming the final managerial casualty after Manchester United’s disastrous 2023-24 season, knows this all too well as he became the first boss dismissed this campaign. Meanwhile, new arrivals like Arne Slot at Liverpool and Enzo Maresca at Chelsea may still have the luxury of time to shape their squads, but others may soon find themselves under intense scrutiny to turn things around.
Here, we explore the precarious world of Premier League management, assessing each manager’s likelihood of facing the sack this season. From those navigating the treacherous waters of relegation battles to those leading title-chasing sides, GIVEMESPORT examines the factors that could impact managerial job security – from team performance trends and the patience of the boardroom to the constant glare of media attention.
Read on to find out which managers are sitting comfortably in their positions and which ones might need to keep a wary eye on the shadows of potential successors.
Ranking factors
Overall performance in the Premier League.
Overall performance in external competitions including the FA Cup, League Cup and the Champions League.
Recent form.
Expectations of the club’s hierarchy.
Manager’s legacy within the club.
Fan feeling towards the manager.
Premier League Managers Most Likely to be Sacked Next
Rank
Manager
Club
1.
Ange Postecoglou
Tottenham Hotspur
2.
Ruud van Nistelrooy
Leicester City
3.
Kieran McKenna
Ipswich Town
4.
Oliver Glasner
Crystal Palace
5.
Fabian Hurzeler
Brighton & Hove Albion
6.
Thomas Frank
Brentford
7.
Andoni Iraola
Bournemouth
8.
Pep Guardiola
Manchester City
9.
Eddie Howe
Newcastle United
10.
Mikel Arteta
Arsenal
11.
Marco Silva
Fulham
12.
Unai Emery
Aston Villa
13.
Ruben Amorim
Manchester United
14.
Ivan Juric
Southampton
15.
Vitor Pereira
Wolverhampton Wanderers
16.
Enzo Maresca
Chelsea
17.
David Moyes
Everton
18.
Graham Potter
West Ham United
19.
Nuno Espirito Santo
Nottingham Forest
20.
Arne Slot
Liverpool
20
Arne Slot, Liverpool
Last season’s league finish: 3rd
If there’s any team in world football that stands by the ethos that managers need time, it’s Liverpool. In many cases, Anfield’s helmsman is revered, cherished, and held in higher regard than the players. It’s a rare club tradition, but one that stretches as far back as the pre-Shankly years, with Jurgen Klopp’s tenure the perfect encapsulation of such a notion.
Because of this, Arne Slot should feel pretty safe on Merseyside, but going off the start to life he’s enjoyed at Anfield, he shouldn’t be worried anyway. A dominant display against rivals Manchester United in their third game of the season made it three wins from three for Liverpool’s new head coach. A surprising loss to Nottingham Forest threatened to halt that momentum, but the promising signs at Anfield continued, as they then wracked up a number of key victories to place themselves firmly in the driving seat of the title race with a six-point lead with a game in hand.
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19
Nuno Espirito Santo, Nottingham Forest
Last season’s league finish: 17th
While he was in charge, Steve Cooper achieved some pretty remarkable things with Nottingham Forest. After all, he helped the club shock the Championship with promotion and then kept them up in their first season back in the top flight. What’s more, he did so while handling a destabilising influx of new signings.
But that is in the past and owner Evangelos Marinakis is more worried about the present and the future. And so, with Forest losing five games out of six, Cooper was sacked and replaced by Nuno Espirito Santo.
Although there were points when relegation looked inevitable for Forest, the Garibaldi bounced back to survive by the skin of their teeth in 2023/24. Nuno was heavily backed in the transfer market over the summer, and that’s been reflected in their excellent run to top four credentials by the turn of the year. After an impressive comeback victory over Aston Villa, Forest moved into a Champions League spot – and that’s the truest testament to the incredible job the 50-year-old manager is doing right now.
18
Graham Potter, West Ham United
Last season’s Premier League finish: 9th
After Julen Lopetegui, who had overseen stints at Sevilla and Real Madrid in the past, got the boot from the east London-based club’s higher-ups, a return to the Premier League beckoned for Graham Potter. Fans were initially excited about what was to come in his maiden campaign in Lopetegui’s charge, but now they turn their attention to the English tactician, who was sacked by Chelsea two years ago.
Boasting the likes of Jarrod Bowen and Mohammed Kudus, Potter has inherited a side geared towards fighting for European qualification – but that may have to wait until next season to achieve such a dream. For now, the 14th-placed outfit will be focusing on building an attractive brand of football at the London Stadium – and there were evident signs of improvement in his first game in the dugout, albeit a 2-1 loss to Aston Villa in the FA Cup.
17
Sean Dyche, Everton
Last season’s league finish: 15th
What can be said about Everton that hasn’t been said before over the last few seasons? The Toffees seem to be in some sort of permanent crisis, only to then just about avoid relegation, before then dropping directly right back into the mire again. That seemed to be the case again last term as they failed to score in their first three outings, and after finding some momentum after that with some important wins, Sean Dyche’s team were hit with a 10-point deduction for Financial Fair Play breaches which threw them back into the relegation mix.
The ex-Burnley manager has now, however, been reliaved of his duties and it’s up to former manager David Moyes, who dipped his toes into the world of punditry, to steer them back on track. In fact, the former Manchester United boss could exactly be the stabilising force that Everton are in dire need of. Things have been topsy-turvy for the Merseysiders this season and, as a result, they are flirting with the prospect of relegation. Not on Moyes’ watch, fans will be hoping. He’ll take charge of his first game soon but is unlikely to get the boot given the current state of affairs they find themselves in.
16
Enzo Maresca, Chelsea
Last season’s league finish: 6th
With Chelsea’s track record of impatient higher-ups, you just never know. After Roman Abramovich spent his time at Stamford Bridge hiring and firing managers like it was going out of fashion, many would have expected less drama under Todd Boehly. Instead, it’s been more of the same. Beyond the billions of pounds spent on new transfers, the Blues also saw Thomas Tuchel, Graham Potter, and Frank Lampard all come and go during the 2022/23 campaign, before Mauricio Pochettino failed to make sense of it all and departed after just 12 months at Stamford Bridge.
Last time out, it was a season of inconsistency at the club, and the baton has now been passed to Enzo Maresca. The former Leicester City boss has already had to deal with off-field tempests amid Argentina’s racism row, which saw Enzo Fernandez in the firing line for singing derogatory lyrics against French players with African Heritage. That said, so far so good is the notion in west London, as recent performances are finally starting to show that money can buy happiness. The Blues were in blistering form at the start of the term but have hit something of a snag recently, but the Italian chief will be keen to iron out any deficiencies sooner rather than later.
15
Vitor Pereira, Wolverhampton Wanderers
Last season’s league finish: 14th
With Gary O’Neil no longer at the helm of Wolverhampton Wanderers, the Old Gold higher-ups turned to an unorthodox option in former Al-Shabab chief Vitor Pereira. It was a risk that the club could not afford to go poorly given their porous start to the campaign – but the 56-year-old quickly won the hearts of the fanbase in fine fashion with his first game in charge.
His first game in charge came in the shape of a test with fellow strugglers Leicester City – a game that had every chance of going in the favour of the Foxes. It was with relative ease, however, that he saw his Wolves reign victorious on away soil with a 3-0 win. It may be too early to tell whether the Portuguese will be the long-term option in the Midlands but his start (three wins from five), combined with the plethora of talent at his disposal, provides cause for optimism.
14
Ivan Juric, Southampton
Last season’s league finish: Promoted (Championship)
Russell Martin did a superb job with Southampton as the former Swansea City boss secured promotion back to the Premier League at the first time of trying last time out. The jump up from the second to first tier, however, proved too onerous, and he was relieved of his duties after the club ran out of patience following a 5-0 defeat to Tottenham.
Ivan Juric, a man known for his hot-headed nature, was appointed on an 18-month contract in the wake of Martin’s departure. Formerly of Torino, Genoa and AS Roma, the seasoned Serie A custodian was in the directors’ box for their impressive 0-0 draw with Fulham recently. He first took charge of the team for their meeting with London club Crystal Palace and while they came out on the losing end, the improvements were there to be seen. He lost the following match 5-0 before winning on home soil against Swansea City – but he’ll certainly be offered the benefit of time.
13
Ruben Amorim, Manchester United
Last season’s league finish: 8th
Considering he’s only just recently been appointed manager of Manchester United, it’s extremely improbable that Ruben Amorim will be the next coach sacked. He’s arrived at Old Trafford with plenty of promise and the Red Devils will be hoping they’ve finally found the man to lead them in the right direction after he guided Sporting to a brilliant 4-1 victory over Manchester City in his penultimate game in charge.
How quickly he may fall down this list depends on how his start to life at Old Trafford unfolds. There have already been signs of teething problems with losses to Liverpool, Nottingham Forest, Wolves and Bournemouth in the league, but it’s going to be a project and a 2-1 derby victory over Man City will have massively endeared him to his new fans, while their unlikely win in the FA Cup, against heavy favourites Arsenal, will have earned him more time. All eyes are on the 39-year-old and his three-at-the-back system.
12
Unai Emery, Aston Villa
Last season’s league finish: 4th
The former Arsenal coach didn’t enjoy a great time in England while in north London but has managed to rejuvenate his Premier League reputation with a fantastic spell at Aston Villa so far. Indeed, Unai Emery has taken the Villans back into Europe – where he has a formidable record – and built an exciting team. With the likes of Ollie Watkins and Leon Bailey now darting about in attack, big things were expected of Villa in 2023/24, and they’re certainly living up to expectations.
The Villans have made a reasonable start to 2024/25, too. The addition of midweek Champions League football has proven to be something of a challenge for Emery’s squad, but now that they’re back in the big time, the Spaniard’s job is incredibly secure – especially since they also won their first three games in the Champions League, including a historic 1-0 victory over Bayern Munich, before falling at the hands of Club Brugge. The idea of finishing in the top four for the second consecutive campaign looks tricky, but you wouldn’t rule it out just yet.
11
Marco Silva, Fulham
Last season’s league finish: 13th
While Marco Silva did a fine job by keeping Fulham up two terms ago, it was suspected that he may well find the task a little more complicated last season, especially after losing star striker Aleksandar Mitrovic, who scored 14 goals out of Fulham’s 55. The west London-based club’s manager appeared to be pretty frustrated on the touchline in the early stages of the season, and three losses in five Premier League games made for grim reading at one point.
He’s managed to turn things around though, and once again has the credit in the bank to lead the Cottagers forward after a serviceable opening 20 games this time around. They sit just inside the top half of the Premier League standings with 30 points – ahead of Brighton and just behind Villa in eighth. What is most impressive about the Portuguese tactician is not losing games – his last defeat came at the hands of Wolves in mid-to-late november.
10
Mikel Arteta, Arsenal
Last season’s league finish: 2nd
While it wasn’t quite a faultless season, Arsenal still managed to finish second again last term as they look ever closer to inching towards their first Premier League title since 2004. Declan Rice enjoyed a superb maiden campaign at the Emirates and is already being earmarked for a future leadership role, according to journalist Dean Jones, but things are not too sweet this time around.
Despite already losing ground on Liverpool in the title race this term, the season began with it being hard to imagine that the Spaniard would be let go anytime soon, especially after rediscovering their scintillating form after the November international break courtesy of the return of Martin Odegaard. Despite being second over halfway into the campaign, there are murmurs over whether he is the right man for the job after such an underwhelming transfer window. Since the turn of the year, the Gunners have emerged victors in just one of their four outings.
9
Eddie Howe, Newcastle United
Last season’s league finish: 7th
Eddie Howe enjoyed a season of exceeding all expectations in his first full campaign as he helped bring the return of Champions League football to St James’ Park. That, however, makes his job all the more complicated in the following terms as the Saudi-led club now looks to push on even further.
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That was highlighted in 2023/24, with the Magpies struggling to maintain that form, crashing out of the Champions League in the group stage and failing to qualify for Europe via the Premier League. Howe, despite having a lot of good favour at the club, has also admitted that he’s not sure about his future at St James’ Park. The start of the 2024/25 campaign marked the Magpies’ best in decades, but things have fallen apart quickly.
Having won three of their opening four games, the Tyneside-based outfit had to wait until their 10th game for their next victory. They went five league games without a win and slipped into the bottom half of the table. A surprise, yet joyous, win over title-chasing Arsenal has righted some wrongs, but the work is far from over following drab performances against West Ham and Crystal Palace before letting two leads slip against Liverpool to end up drawing 3-3. You never know which version of the Magpies you’ll get, as demonstrated by their 4-0 smashing of Leicester and then the same over Ipswich, which might keep Howe around for a little longer, especially as he has won eight encounters on the bounce.
8
Pep Guardiola, Manchester City
Last season’s league finish: 1st
Having won the Premier League for a record-breaking fourth consecutive time last season, it is quite remarkable that Pep Guardiola could soon come under serious pressure in his position. This absurdity is then only further tightened by the fact that he recently penned a contract extension until the summer of 2027 – a decision that he’ll be keen to prove right.
However, shocking the football world, Manchester City found themselves iin freefall ever since Rodri ruptured his ACL. A dreadful 4-0 home defeat to Tottenham Hotspur looked to be the nadir, but things got even worse with a late collapse in the Manchester derby, which saw Man United come away with a 2-1 win. Since turning their form around, the Catalan native is back to winning ways, overseeing wins over Leicester, West Ham and Salford City. It perfectly encapsulates why he’s one of the best football managers of all time.
7
Andoni Iraola, Bournemouth
Last season’s league finish: 12th
It came as a bit of a shock when Gary O’Neil was sacked and former Rayo Vallecano chief Andoni Iraola was handed the Bournemouth job last summer. However, that surprise appointment suggested that he’d be backed by the Cherries – and that’s just how it played out. Following a mixed start to life in England, the Spaniard was under pressure, but he has turned proceedings around brilliantly.
His side’s 3-0 win at Old Trafford last season was truly special, and after Jamie Carragher predicted Iraola to be the surprise of the season on Monday Night Football at the start of the 2023/24 campaign, we’re starting to see why he made such a big call. The Cherries accumulated their biggest-ever points tally in the Premier League and, despite struggling early this season, they’ve found their feet once again. An incredible victory over Manchester City, their first ever, and two more against Arsenal and Amorim’s Red Devils recently underlines the impeccable job that the manager is doing, as he has his side in seventh after 20 games.
6
Thomas Frank, Brentford
Last season’s league finish: 16th
As the man to have led Brentford up into the Premier League for the first time in their history, Thomas Frank has an awful lot of good faith in the bank among the Gtech Community Stadium faithful. After finishing 13th in their debut campaign, the Bees managed to beat any fears of second-season syndrome with a ninth-placed finish in 2022/23.
Even without star striker Ivan Toney for the most part, Frank’s side managed to avoid the drop in 2023/24, but the Bees now face a tougher challenge after Toney’s permanent exit. Time will tell whether the Hounslow outfit have it in them to continue their early season form without their main man. Frank is under contract until the summer of 2027, and Bryan Mbuemo is more than filling his predecessor’s heavy crown. The Bees are currently 11th in the table, performing beyond expectations so far, but their recent run of results is beginning to cloud over the brilliant job Frank has done in the capital.
5
Fabian Hurzeler, Brighton and Hove Albion
Last season’s league finish: 11th
Replacing Roberto De Zerbi was no mean feat. However, this was exactly what was said about Graham Potter, too. And with Brighton’s unending production line of special players, along with enigmatic managers who know exactly how to get the best from them, it’s safe to predict it’s already proved to be a rinse-and-repeat situation with the arrival of former St Pauli boss, Fabian Hurzeler.
Brighton’s streamlined operation can be evidenced by last season’s success. Despite losing key midfield personnel in Moises Caicedo and Alexis Mac Allister, the Brighton conveyor belt of talent continued to come up trumps. An unbeaten start to the season in the Seagulls’ opening five fixtures, until falling at the hands of Chelsea and Cole Palmer’s four-goal haul and then to table-topping Liverpool, already indicates their new head coach is doing a fine job. He has the Seagulls in tenth and just eight points away from top four credentials. Getting some more wins on the board could solidify his position on the coast, however.
4
Oliver Glasner, Crystal Palace
Last season’s league finish: 10th
When Patrick Vieira was sacked by Crystal Palace in the 2022-23 season, the Eagles looked to be sliding towards the relegation zone. So, what did the club do? They, of course, hired the one man they knew best suited to steady the ship. The only thing, though, is that Roy Hodgson didn’t just steady the ship but instead had it rocking. Indeed, Palace scored goals with ease as they finished comfortably mid-table and so the 77-year-old had a contract laid out in front of him – this time permanently.
However, it always felt as though that job was his only in the short term, and that proved to be the case. Indeed, after a 4-1 thrashing at the hands of their greatest rivals, Brighton, followed up by a 3-1 defeat at home against Chelsea, the former England boss was given the sack. In his place, Oliver Glasner came in. The former Eintracht Frankfurt man arrived with a good reputation and his style of football initially brought positive results and spirited joy to the supporters.
A 10th-placed finish was a remarkable achievement after having been in the depths of despair, but it’s been a completely different story this campaign. The loss of Michael Olise seems to have hit the club hard, and they have struggled this season. The Eagles have picked up just four wins in their opening 20 matches and Glasner will need to turn the tide quickly or else he runs the risk of being given the boot. That said, a resounding derby win over Brighton has done him the world of good.
3
Kieran McKenna, Ipswich Town
Last season’s league finish: Promoted (Championship)
In a very similar vein to Luton Town’s survival efforts last season, Ipswich Town are just happy to be in the Premier League. And when you consider a lot of the reasons behind their promotion were because of Kieran McKenna’s footballing brain, it’s hard to see the Suffolk-based side losing faith in him, unless, of course, the Tractor Boys really do crash and burn.
But even still, the club are riding the crest of a wave, and last term’s fairytale campaign means that McKenna, who turned down the United job to stay at Ipswich, has a substantial reserve of goodwill to his name, as evidenced by the undying support and love shown by the Portman Road faithful, despite winning a mere three games in the top tier thus far. On top of this, victories over Tottenham and Chelsea, a draw against Man United and a last-minute winner against Wolves will do him a world of good. He certainly has the talent at his disposal to turn things around – it’s just a matter of when.
2
Ruud van Nistelrooy, Leicester City
Last season’s league finish: Promoted (Championship)
Although Ruud van Nistelrooy’s managerial resume is still in its early stages, his impressive interim stint at Manchester United – where he secured three wins and a draw while filling in the blank space between Erik ten Hag and Ruben Amorim – has fuelled excitement among Leicester City fans but he’s yet to repay the faith given to him by the Foxes’ boardroom bosses.
Now stepping into a permanent role for the first time since achieving a 64.71% win rate as PSV Eindhoven’s manager, Van Nistelrooy’s success in the east Midlands remains uncertain, but his track record and passion offer plenty of promise for the King Power faithful. He got off to a strong start with his side before losing 4-0 at the hands of Newcastle. The 3-0 defeat to Wolves did anything but ease the heat on the former talisman’s shoulders and that was followed by another three losses on the bounce.
1
Ange Postecoglou, Tottenham Hotspur
Last season’s league finish: 5th
In many ways, the Greek-Australian inherited a job assumed to be a poisoned chalice. After all, Antonio Conte failed so miserably at Tottenham Hotspur two seasons ago, so who would want to take charge of that side, especially with club icon Harry Kane leaving for Bayern Munich? Well, Ange Postecoglou was utterly unphased by all that and wasted no time in bringing the feel-good factor back to Tottenham.
Having been at the summit of the Premier League table, a bump in the road saw them unable to keep up with the aforementioned trio of clubs, with Postecoglou’s job security taking a small hit in the process. Spurs continued to plummet last season and things have been nothing short of turbulent this time around.
The London-based side are currently 12th in the table and, having lost ten of their opening 20 matches, Ange ball remains very confusing – as evidenced by their 4-0 rout over City recently. You never know what version of the north Londoners is going to turn up, and the unpredictable nature of that sort of Jekyll and Hyde-type form recently saw him confronted by fans following a 1-0 away loss to Bournemouth. After a nine-goal thriller against Liverpool, one that went 6-3 against him, and a 2-2 draw with Wolves, the former Celtic boss may be quaking in his boots.
