It’s a prize that nobody wants to claim, but one Premier League manager this year will be the winner of the sack race.
There are some whose positions are already in jeopardy despite the fact that the season is still in its infancy, such is the ruthlessness of elite-level football. Poor results can only go unpunished for so long and it’s easier to sack the manager than an entire squad of 25 players.
Last season there was 14 sackings in the Premier League – the likes of Chelsea and Leeds United got rid of multiple coaches – and there is little precedent to suggest that this season won’t also be full to the brim with managerial farewells.
Let’s look at who could win the sack race in the 2023/24 Premier League season.
Paul Heckingbottom is under scrutiny at Bramall Lane having failed to win any of his opening five games in the Premier League. Sheffield United have managed just one draw against Everton so far, albeit late goals conceded against Tottenham, Manchester City and Nottingham Forest have robbed them of adding to their points tally.
Heckingbottom guided the Blades to promotion from the Championship last season, finishing ten points above third-placed Luton Town. It seems harsh, therefore, that there is already discussion over axing him in favour of the man he replaced Chris Wilder.
Some spirited displays have shown that Sheffield United are capable of getting results in the top-flight and they haven’t been short of bad luck since returning to the Premier League. While Heckingbottom deserves more time to get things back on track, it may not be a luxury he is afforded at Bramall Lane.
Similarly to Heckingbottom, Sean Dyche has only managed to claim one point in the Premier League with Everton this season. Not only have results been abject, performances have been frustrating at best, with the Toffees having failed to score in four of their five league games.
Everton currently sit in the relegation zone in 18th, having played a game fewer than their relegation rivals Burnley and Luton, and patience is undoubtedly wearing thin on Merseyside. Dyche was brought into the club to make them difficult to beat, even if they were not particularly beautiful to watch, but there haven’t been many teams simpler to tear apart than Everton in recent months.
Another problem for Dyche is that Everton could be about to have new owners – 777 Partners. Whether that takeover can be completed or not remains to be seen, but new ownership often leads to new management.
Luton remain the only team in the Premier League without a single point this season, albeit they have played one fewer game than every team aside from Burnley. Regardless, it’s been a pretty grim start to life back in the top-flight for the Hatters, with very little to cheer about on the pitch.
Performances under Rob Edwards have been admirable given the huge financial disparity between themselves and the majority of their competitors, but sympathy won’t get you anywhere in the Premier League.
Whether a new manager would solve anything at Kenilworth Road is questionable, so perhaps sticking with Edwards regardless is the way forward. Although if Luton start flirting with Derby County’s unwanted 11-point league record, push may come to shove.
There is a sense that Todd Boehly may already have his finger over the trigger just five games into the new season as pressure begins to mount on Mauricio Pochettino in the Chelsea dugout. After all the money the club has spent, there will be nowhere to hide for the Argentine if poor results persist.
Chelsea have won just one league game this season – a comfortable 3-0 victory over Luton – suffering disappointing defeats to West Ham United and Nottingham Forest. Performances have been a little too similar to those of last season, with not a lot of change in terms of attitude, application and quality on the pitch.
If Boehly does the smart thing for a change, he will, of course, persist with Pochettino for the season regardless of results, as long as performances pick up. However, football is a results-based business, and that is no more true than at Stamford Bridge.
It was a summer of cultural change at the Vitality Stadium with Andoni Iraola’s arrival signalling the start of a more progressive era on the south coast. The Spaniard had impressed at Rayo Vallecano, but things haven’t been so smooth in the Premier League.
Bournemouth are yet to win in the league this season, picking up three draws in five matches. Scoring goals hasn’t been an issue for the Cherries, but they have been a little too exposed at the other end of the pitch, with Iraola unable to fully transform his new side just yet.
It will take time for Iraola to fully change the culture at the club, but pressure will continue to mount from supporters if results don’t come soon.
Gary O’Neil is the shortest serving manager in the Premier League having replaced Julen Lopetegui just days before the season began in mid-August. Performances have been pretty respectable at Molineux, bar one humiliation against Brighton, but there has only been one win – a late 1-0 victory against Everton.
Wolves’ financial issues have had a significant impact on the quality and depth of their squad, with the Old Gold losing the likes of Ruben Neves, Nathan Collins and Matheus Nunes, making survival their first priority this season.
However, O’Neil isn’t known for his attractive brand of football, taking a more pragmatic and cautious approach to coaching. If results don’t come soon, things will start to get pretty miserable in the Midlands.
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