Premier League sack race: the manager most at risk of being sacked with all 20 threat levels revealed

We are only weeks into the new Premier League campaign and the majority of fans remain optimistic, but these positive feelings could soon disappear for some. So, who will be the first to get the dreaded sack?

Given that a record nine teams have started the season with a new permanent manager, the 2026/27 campaign is a difficult one to predict.

Enzo Maresca has replaced Pep Guardiola at Manchester City, Andoni Iraola has succeeded Arne Slot at Liverpool, while Michael Carrick has been made the permanent boss at Manchester United.

Pierre Sage will be hoping to replicate Oliver Glasner’s success at Crystal Palace, while the Austrian has the task of keeping ruthless owner Evangelos Marinakis happy at Nottingham Forest.

Matthias Jaissle, meanwhile, has taken the vacancy left by Eddie Howe at Newcastle, while Xabi Alonso will look to change Chelsea’s recent fortunes following another productive transfer window.

Alvaro Arbeloa is in the dugout at Craven Cottage after replacing Marco Silva as Fulham boss.

And the former Leipzig boss Marco Rose will become the first Bournemouth head coach to guide the Cherries in the Europa League. Gary O’Neil, meanwhile, has been handed another crack at the promised land after succeeding Kieran McKenna at Ipswich.

Frank Lampard returns to the Premier League having guided Coventry City to promotion last term, with Sergej Jakirovic hoping Hull City can compete at the highest level after going up through the Championship play-offs.

And for now, all 20 managers will be preparing their squads for the upcoming season, but by Christmas and maybe even earlier, several may be without a job.

SPORTbible has ranked the managers most likely to be sacked ahead of the campaign.

Premier League manager most likely to be sacked first

1. Alvaro Arbeloa

Arbeloa arrives at Craven Cottage fresh from managing the most successful club in Europe, Real Madrid. And although this is an achievement in itself, the Spaniard lacks experience at the top level, as he was still managing Real’s reserve team at the start of last season.

Marco Silva will be a tough act to follow, and the signings of Gonzalo Garcia, Cesar Palacios and Jonah Kusi-Asare are unlikely to fill Fulham fans with confidence.

2. Oliver Glasner

Despite guiding Crystal Palace to three trophies – the FA Cup, Community Shield and Conference League – over the past few seasons, Glasner has to be one of the favourites to get the boot, given that Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis sacked Nuno Espirito Santo, Ange Postecoglou, Sean Dyche and Vitor Pereira within the last year.

Good luck, Oliver. It looks like you might need it.

3. Frank Lampard

Another contender for an early sacking. The 48-year-old previously coached Chelsea (twice) and Everton in English football’s top flight, although whether he has the credentials to keep a newly promoted side up remains to be seen.

This could go either way.

4. Sergej Jakirovic

With the Tigers securing an unlikely promotion last term, Hull managed to pip Wrexham to sixth in the Championship last term despite losing 15 of their 46 matches.

The Tigers went on to beat Millwall in the play-off semi-finals and Middlesbrough in the final, but major question marks over the strength and depth of Jakirovic’s squad remain, with the Humberside club without the financial power to compete with English football’s elite. Jakirovic may be receiving his P45 by Christmas.

An unexpected win against Manchester United was certainly a positive start.

5. Gary O’Neil

O’Neil boasts solid experience from his time at Wolves and Bournemouth and, as a result, is probably less likely to be sacked than the others further up the list.

He will also be pleased to know Kieran McKenna managed to keep his job when Ipswich were relegated from the Premier League in 2025, but fans will likely be more expectant after just one year away from the top flight. A bad run could turn into a bad season if O’Neil’s side start poorly, with his job possibly coming under scrutiny if the Tractor Boys are cut adrift at the bottom.

6. Daniel Farke

A 14th-place finish and reaching an FA Cup semi-final is a respectable season by recent standards for Leeds.

The German managed to recover Leeds’ fortunes last term after coming under pressure in late November following a string of bad results. If the Whites start badly, these feelings could return, although it appears he has enough credit in the bank for now.

7. Pierre Sage

Very much an unknown quantity, Sage comes with a decent managerial record, winning the 2025/26 French Cup, but Glasner’s success at Selhurst Park has created a higher standard for fans. Very much a case of wait and see.

8. Marco Rose

Similar to Sage, Rose has certainly proved himself in Europe with RB Leipzig, Borussia Monchengladbach and Borussia Dortmund. However, questions remain over whether he can maintain Bournemouth’s league success while also facing the challenge of additional Europa League games. The jury is still out on the German.

9. David Moyes

Some Everton fans would put Moyes higher on the list, but the Scot is unlikely to be the first to get the boot regardless of Everton’s start. The Toffees throwing away the opportunity to qualify for Europe last term left a sour taste in the mouths of fans, but Moyes remains a safe pair of hands, and a mid-table finish will likely be seen as a success by Everton’s owners as they settle into life at the Hill Dickinson.

10. Xabi Alonso

There’s certainly an argument that Alonso should be higher given Chelsea’s hire-and-fire policy in recent seasons, but the Spaniard’s appointment feels different. Alonso is the ‘manager’ rather than ‘head coach’, hinting that he has been heavily involved with dealings in the transfer market. The former Real Madrid boss will likely be given time at Stamford Bridge.

11. Matthias Jaissle

A couple of seasons ago, the odds of Jaissle being the first to be sacked would have been higher, with Eddie Howe’s success hard to match. However, given the fact that the Magpies have sold Anthony Gordon, Bruno Guimaraes and Sandro Tonali, he may be afforded some time to settle in by the club’s hierarchy.

12. Regis Le Bris

Staying in the Premier League will remain a success for Le Bris this season, a task made even harder by Europa League commitments. The Frenchman certainly has credit in the bank with the club’s fanbase and hierarchy and is unlikely to be an early contender for the sack regardless of results.

13. Keith Andrews

The Bees were heavily tipped to be relegated last term, but in the end, Andrews almost secured European football. A similar return and mid-table finish will see the Irishman remain as head coach for a while yet.

14. Roberto De Zerbi

Spurs appeared to have recruited well this summer, with De Zerbi also getting the existing players on board.

Keeping Spurs in the league when they looked doomed has already gained the Italian respect, with a lack of European football allowing him time to work with his players this term.

Back-to-back 17th-place finishes in recent seasons may also help his cause, with a top-eight finish and cup run likely to see him stay until at least next season.

15. Michael Carrick

The fact that United decided to stick with Carrick suggests very few top-class managers were available this summer.

The Englishman guided United to Champions League qualification last term, which effectively earned him a permanent deal and the faith of United’s board. Carrick is highly likely to remain as United boss unless they have a disastrous campaign.

An opening day defeat to Hull was hardly the best start, but Carrick has built something at Old Trafford. That's clear.

16. Andoni Iraola

Like Carrick, Iraola will likely be given time, with Champions League qualification the goal, although even if Liverpool qualify for the Europa League, you’d expect to see the Spaniard at Anfield next term.

Liverpool, unlike some other clubs on this list, are not the type to sack managers unless there are serious issues, which appears unlikely at this time despite concerns over the depth of the Reds’ squad.

17. Fabian Hurzeler

Hurzeler has been a hit at the Amex, with the German preparing to guide the side in the Conference League this term after finishing eighth last season. Unless Brighton’s Premier League form severely suffers, Hurzeler will remain in position on the South Coast for some time yet.

18. Enzo Maresca

Maresca has inherited a strong squad following Guardiola’s exit, with Erling Haaland, Ruben Dias, Marc Guehi, Antoine Semenyo and new signing Elliot Anderson providing an excellent spine to the team. Even if Maresca misses out on Premier League and Champions League glory, his job will be secure, with the Italian’s appointment viewed as the start of a long-term project.

19. Unai Emery

Emery is arguably unsackable after guiding Villa to Champions League qualification and a Europa League triumph last season. The Spaniard is going nowhere and is probably more likely to leave than be sacked, although there’s also no suggestion that this will happen either.

20. Mikel Arteta

Similar to Emery, after winning the Premier League and reaching the final of the Champions League with Arsenal, Arteta is the least likely to be sacked on the list, with the signing of Guimaraes further bolstering the Gunners’ squad to challenge on all four fronts once again.

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