Goal.com

Adkins' admission that he fears for his job if results don't improve has seen his price slashed to be the first boss to go, while Roberto Mancini is also a big mover into 10/1

The Premier League season is just 10 games into the season but on all known form the guillotine will fall on someone shortly.

There’s no hiding place for the top tier’s managers when the results don’t emerge and if they’re looking for sympathy – it won’t be forthcoming from the terraces. Or the boardroom.

Paddy Power has priced up a few contenders for the Premier League’s dreaded Sack Race.

Southampton boss Nigel Adkins made public what everyone thought privately when he said he feared for his job ahead of the visit from Swansea on Saturday.

He was rushed into 4/11 (1.36) favourite to be the first manager to leave his post, should the Saints fail to beat the Swans.

It was always going to be a baptism of fire for the 47-year-old who guided Southampton to successive promotions.

But the Premier League fixture list threw up an away trip to champions Manchester City in the opening game of the new season as well as an early visit from Manchester United and Arsenal away.

The Saints – despite valiant performances against the blue and red half of Manchester – (losing 3-2 twice) have struggled since with only a 4-1 win over Aston Villa and a draw to Fulham to show for their efforts three months into the season.

Next Premier League Manager to leave post
Odds from Paddy Power
Nigel Adkins	4/11
Mark Hughes	7/2
Roberto Mancini	10/1
Martin O'Neill	25/1
Brian McDermott	25/1

While Adkins and the Saints prop up the table on a relatively small budget, new money rules at QPR and manager Mark Hughes hasn’t been slow in spending it.

For a side that haven’t won a Premier League game since the 21st April 2012, Hughes has acquired players at an alarming rate – with no visible improvement in form.

The Welshman is 7/2 (4.50) second favourite to be sidelined as he prepares his side for a visit to Stoke in a league where the average life expectancy is 3.66 years according to the League Managers Association.

Martin O'Neill's price has been steadily on the move, now into a 25/1 (26.0) shot to be the first manager to go.

The most intriguing recent entrant to the sack race though, is Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini. He’s now 10/1 (11.0) chance despite delivering a first title in 44 years.

But with success comes expectation and City – although unbeaten to date – have been leaking goals at the back and relying on late strikes to win matches they should be winning easily.

Mancini’s increasing erratic behaviour, no doubt brought on by the frustrations of having to justify his tactical decisions and owner Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al Nahyan’s disappointment at their Champions League campaign won’t have helped matters.

If someone had offered you 10/1 (11.0) that Mancini would be first to go in the sack race three months ago (he was actually 50/1) you might have laughed, but it appears Mancini's stock is falling at a rate of knots.

Sign up with Paddy Power for up to £250 in free bets

Jim Knight is Betting Editor at Goal.com and has been tipping football games since he was old enough to place a bet. He is a Leicester City fan, writer and member of the We Are Going Up Podcast
Follow Jim on