This weekend, Tottenham Hotspur face West Ham United in a game dubbed ‘El Sackico’. It could be the final straw for one of them.
| Next Premier League manager to be sacked | Odds |
|---|---|
| Nuno Espirito Santo | 8/13 |
| Thomas Frank | 5/4 |
| Arne Slot | 11/2 |
| Scott Parker | 11 |
| Oliver Glasner | 14 |
Odds courtesy of SkyBet. Correct at time of publishing and subject to change.
Nuno Espirito Santo
West Ham United are in free-fall. With 21 games played, the Hammers find themselves seven points adrift of safety. They are without a win in 10 Premier League games. It’s no surprise to see Nuno Espirito Santo under intense scrutiny at London Stadium.
With five defeats in their last six, including two against fellow relegation battlers, they appear destined for the drop. Espirito Santo was brought in to try and turn things around after Graham Potter’s torrid start, but things haven’t gone to plan. Two November wins offered a glimmer of hope, but that quickly faded. This weekend’s clash with Spurs could be the tipping point.
It would come as no surprise if management at West Ham decided to call time on Espirito Santo. They may see it as their only chance of survival.
Thomas Frank
Leaving Brentford, where things were going so well, was always going to be a risk for Thomas Frank. Tottenham Hotspur haven’t had the best of times recently, and the Dane has been unable to stop the rot. As things stand, Spurs are 14th in the table and have one win in their last six league games.
Defeat to their London rivals this weekend could see Tottenham drop to 16th, and alarm bells would start ringing. Frank’s side have what it takes to get back to winning ways this weekend, but a victory could just prolong the inevitable. Progression in the Champions League is the only real solace right now, but a loss this weekend would be disastrous.
It seems like a matter of time for Frank, especially with many fans turning against him. If Spurs fail to overcome West Ham, he could well be the next manager to leave.
Arne Slot
Liverpool’s struggles this season have been well-documented, but they do seem to have turned a corner now. The Reds are unbeaten in 11 matches across all competitions, and they sit fourth in the table after 21 matches. Finishing outside the top three would be a big disappointment for the reigning champions, but it probably wouldn’t put Slot’s job in jeopardy.
There’s also the small matter of the Champions League, with Liverpool still in the mix for the play-offs. Having navigated a difficult period and overseen a turnaround, Slot has probably earned himself more breathing room. Two UCL games are coming up, along with tough Premier League fixtures against Newcastle United and Manchester City. January and February will be big months.
Slot is definitely under pressure at Anfield, and understandably so after their horrible period between September and November. However, Liverpool’s current run suggests his position is relatively secure for now.
Scott Parker
Most people expected Burnley to be in a relegation scrap this season, so seeing them in 19th place is no shock. Given the resources at his disposal, it’s hard to expect much more from Scott Parker. The Clarets may well be destined to move between the first and second tiers of English football for a while.
A run of 12 games without victory, however, with nine of them resulting in defeat, is a big concern. Still, drawing with Manchester United last week was admirable. Including the FA Cup, they’ve lost two in six. It’d take a lot to claw back the eight-point gap on 17th place, but you’d back Parker to bring them back up.
Even if Burnley’s bosses hoped for more this season, now would be an odd time to pull the trigger on Parker. We don’t expect him to be the next to go.
Oliver Glasner
With Crystal Palace on a run of nine without a win across all competitions, Oliver Glasner’s name made it onto this list. The defeat to Macclesfield in the FA Cup came as a huge shock, and 13th in the league is far from ideal. Glasner has done a brilliant job at Selhurst Park, however, and he has plenty of credit with the club’s owners.
The Eagles have some tough games on the horizon, but also a few that you’d expect them to win. If things don’t go to plan between now and the end of March, questions could be asked. For now, however, the Austrian probably won’t be overly concerned.
Compared with the other managers mentioned, Glasner faces far less pressure. It would be a huge surprise if he were sacked anytime soon.