As the Premier League enters its business end, it signifies that the resumption of the managerial merry-go-round is not far away from spinning again. While some clubs sprang a surprise last term 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 and Ruben Amorim and Thomas Frank, who lost their respective positions at Manchester United and Tottenham, are the perfect examples of that.
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, we examine 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.
• Fans’ feelings towards the manager.
20 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 the wait goes on for that much-desired Premier League title. Spanish boss Mikel Arteta could argue that an injury crisis cost his side, with Bukayo Saka and Kai Havertz spending lengthy spells on the sidelines.
But Arteta still had Declan Rice, who is earmarked for a future leadership role, to call upon, and he was one of the Spanish tactician’s shining stars. While the north London giants failed to mount a credible title challenge, they caught the eye in Europe, making it to the Champions League semi-finals before falling short against eventual winners Paris Saint-Germain.
After finishing as bridesmaids in the Premier League for a third season in a row, the Gunners have had to watch Liverpool and arch-rivals Tottenham both lift major honours recently without them. Silverware is the currency of success, but there’s still a strong feeling that Arteta is the right man to call the shots at the Emirates Stadium following a more-than-impressive start to the season that saw them take top spot heading into 2026. The gap has since closed after Arsenal dropped points in multiple games, but the north Londoners are still the favourites to finish first come May.
19 Regis Le Bris, Sunderland
Last season’s league finish: Promoted (Championship)
“No risk, no reward” should be a phrase painted on every wall of the Sunderland owners’ offices, as it perfectly sums up the appointment of Regis Le Bris. They took an international gamble on the French coach who had no prior experience in English football and was still relatively new to senior management.
There is no doubt that Le Bris is among the safest managers after the Black Cats’ Wembley heroics that clinched their return to the Premier League for the first time since 2017. He has proven to be a clever tactician, willing to adapt to different opponents while working well with talented youth such as Chris Rigg and Jobe Bellingham.
Of all three promoted teams, it feels as though the Stadium of Light outfit now have the strongest squad to survive. Le Bris has slapped the captain’s armband on the experienced Granit Xhaka, which has proven to be an astute move. The northeast-based outfit are seemingly all but guaranteed to avoid the drop this campaign, sitting pretty in midtable well clear of the bottom three.
18 Pep Guardiola, Manchester City
Last season’s league finish: 3rd
It once seemed inconceivable that Manchester City would ever consider sacking Pep Guardiola, and if they were ever going to do so, they would have done so last season. His Cityzens suffered a shocking fall from grace after Rodri ruptured his ACL, falling out of title contention and surrendering the Premier League crown for the first time in four years.
There were murmurs of Guardiola potentially departing at the end of last season, but he opted to pen a new contract extension in November until the summer of 2027 – a decision that he’ll be keen to prove right. City’s response to one of the worst campaigns in their manager’s history was to splash the cash and mark a period of transition, amid Kevin De Bruyne bidding farewell to the Etihad faithful.
Their new sporting director, Hugo Viana, lured the likes of Tijani Reijnders, Rayan Cherki and Rayan Ait-Nouri to the Etihad in the hope of breathing new life into one of the greatest football managers of all time. It has seemingly worked, with City now in the Carabao Cup final and just behind Arsenal in the race for glory. But reports have hinted that Guardiola’s time in England might be drawing to a close.
17 Keith Andrews, Brentford
Last season’s league finish: 10th
Brentford fans were dreading the day Thomas Frank decided to move on, and that came this summer as he decided to replace Ange Postecoglou at Tottenham Hotspur. Replacing the Dane was always going to be a tough task for the Bees’ higher-ups and their bold appointment of Keith Andrews raised eyebrows.
Andrews was a member of Frank’s backroom team, working as the team’s set-piece coach and gaining valuable experience for a first-team management role. The Irishman hasn’t had to work his way through the footballing pyramid as he’s been thrown into a Premier League job from the off. Risky, indeed, but he’s settled in extremely well.
Andrews isn’t just succeeding Frank. He is also overseeing a Brentford side that has lost last season’s joint-top scorer Bryan Mbeumo to Manchester United and ex-captain Christian Norgaard to Arsenal. So far, so good is the sentiment after remarkable wins over Liverpool (3-2), United (3-1) and Newcastle United (home and away). The capital club are well-placed to qualify for European competition next term, and while they are bound to suffer defeats between now and the end of the campaign, they’re still excelling against top teams.
16 Michael Carrick, Manchester United
Last season’s league finish: 15th
With the Ruben Amorim era over, the Manchester United higher-ups were looking for someone to be the ship-steadier until they appointed a permanent successor for the Portuguese in the summer months. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s name was flirted with, but there were concerns over the Norwegian, who wanted to take on the challenge on a full-time basis.
On the understanding that summer would not result in a lucrative contract being rolled out, former Middlesbrough chief Michael Carrick took the job instead, and it doesn’t seem as if he’ll be losing his role any time soon. That’s especially the case given that United, because of exiting both the FA Cup and Carabao Cup, only have 17 matches under the 44-year-old’s watchful eye.
He’s a club legend, a status which has subsequently boosted that Old Trafford roar. To improve matters further, Carrick has already surpassed Amorim’s longest streak of consecutive victories (three) in his opening four fixtures, before bouncing back from a draw against West Ham by beating Everton. The United hierarchy could look elsewhere when they appoint a permanent successor, but it’s little surprise that the current interim boss is the favourite for the position.
15 Unai Emery, Aston Villa
Last season’s league finish: 6th
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 Morgan Rogers darting about in attack, he’ll be eager to achieve Champions League qualification for a second time.
The addition of midweek Champions League football proved a challenge for Emery’s squad, but their taste of the big time has made his troops lust for more. Finishing outside the top five on the final day in controversial fashion was a massive blow for the Spaniard, and the Villans appear to be desperate to rectify that by storming back into the top four.
But while Villa appeared as outside challengers for the league title at one point, that form has steadily fallen away in 2026. A disappointing FA Cup exit at the hands of Newcastle has been paired with defeats to Arsenal, Everton, Brentford and bottom-placed Wolves. This is where Emery now needs to earn his corn, by ensuring that the wheels don’t completely come off.
14 Liam Rosenior, Chelsea
Last season’s league finish: 4th
Enzo Maresca, despite doing an admirable job in his opening campaign at the club, was relieved of his duties midway through the 2025/26 campaign. Chelsea’s poor form, as well as a falling out with the board, saw the Italian leave his position on New Year’s Day.
Chelsea didn’t wait long to appoint his successor, as the inexperienced Liam Rosenior was hired a few days later. The 41-year-old is regarded as one of the best young managers in world football after doing a superb job at Strasbourg, but he is yet to manage at the highest level.
It remains to be seen whether he is capable of making the step-up, but Chelsea have shown faith in him as they handed him a six-and-a-half year deal. Rosenior has made a mixed start to life as a Premier League manager, though. For the stellar comeback win and demolition of Crystal Palace, there have been disappointing draws to Leeds United and Burnley where the Blues were on top and cruising. It’s been a big problem for the west Londoners all season, as they have lost 19 points from winning positions in 2025/26.
13 Marco Silva, Fulham
Last season’s league finish: 11th
Marco Silva continues to do a fine job of keeping Fulham among the Premier League’s mid-table heap, after continually losing star men. But the west London-based club’s manager continues to show his worth after guiding the Cottagers to 11th and the FA Cup semi-finals.
The Portuguese must be losing his patience dealing with constant exits at Craven Cottage as he continues to work wonders and perhaps lays claim to being the most underrated gaffer in English football. There was very little business done over the summer, though they did manage to keep hold of top stars such as Rodrigo Muniz, who recently signed a contract extension, and Antonee Robinson, before signing Oscar Bobb from Manchester City in January.
Fulham fans adore Silva, and there’s rarely been the feeling that his job will be at risk anytime soon. Football is a rather funny game, however, and things could change very quickly. He also has less than a year remaining on his current deal, so there is slight pressure on owner Shahid Khan to consider his future and ensure speculation doesn’t cause a distraction.
12 Andoni Iraola, Bournemouth
Last season’s league finish: 9th
In hindsight, it feels ridiculous the amount of backlash Bournemouth’s top brass received after deciding to sack Gary O’Neil and replace him with former Rayo Vallecano chief Andoni Iraola two summers ago. Fast-forward two seasons and the Spaniard is one of the most highly-admired tacticians in European football.
There doesn’t seem much chance of the Cherries dismissing Iraola, given he’s propelled them into a hardened outfit who are willing to go toe-to-toe with some of the Premier League’s big guns. In fact, the Spaniard oversaw a famous 3-0 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford and did the double over runners-up Arsenal last term.
Iraola could be poached, though, if he continues to impress with the side from the south coast. It would be some achievement after losing Dean Huijsen to Real Madrid, Milos Kerkez to Liverpool and Ilya Zabarnyi to Paris Saint-Germain and now Antoine Semenyo’s move to Manchester City will pose a new challenge for Iraola. But, despite enduring a torrid spell over the Christmas period, he showed his class yet again, masterminding a 3-2 win against Liverpool before beating Wolves and Everton while drawing with Villa.
11 David Moyes, Everton
Last season’s league finish: 13th
The times are a-changing at Everton following the return of David Moyes, who made an immediate impact after replacing Sean Dyche in January 2025. His poorly-performing Toffees side were in the midst of yet another relegation battle after being hit with a 10-point deduction for Financial Fair Play breaches.
The Merseyside Blues are right back on track under Moyes’ watch, though, with The Freidkin Group now running the club. There is a positive vibe around the club after a 13th-placed finish, which is something for their Scottish coach to build on.
James Tarkowski suggested that they were aiming for Europe and you wouldn’t put it past Moyes fulfilling that ambition. He has turned Everton back into one of the toughest teams to come up against and has been bolstered with some big-name signings, including Jack Grealish on loan from Manchester City. While their form has not been spectacular lately, they lie just outside the qualification places for the Conference League, so perhaps a late surge could allow fans and Moyes to start dreaming of continental football.
10 Arne Slot, Liverpool
Last season’s league finish: 1st
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 was feeling as safe as ever on Merseyside, and going off the start to life he’d enjoyed at Anfield, he could follow Klopp in spending most of his career with the Reds. However, the situation has been close to unravelling at points in quite spectacular and unprecedented fashion.
After claiming the 2025/26 title with four games to spare, the champions overhauled their squad with the additions of Premier League record signing Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike, Jeremie Frimpong, and Milos Kerkez. Early in the season, those new signings struggled to bed into the team, leading to Slot finding himself under pressure before the turn of the year. Although everything has calmed down since, with Wirtz stepping up and Liverpool winning all of their last five, it would be disastrous for Liverpool and their manager if they were to finish outside the Champions League places.
9 Daniel Farke, Leeds United
Last season’s league finish: Promoted (Championship)
When there is talk and murmurs of your owners looking at potential replacements after you achieve promotion to the Premier League, you know you’re in for a bumpy ride. That’s the situation Daniel Farke found himself in after guiding Leeds United to the Championship title last season and returning them to the promised land of English football. And he’s now on a brilliant ten-game run, suffering just two defeats in that timeframe.
Farke was feeling the heat in April, despite his Peacocks side having already sealed promotion at the time. The German perhaps wasn’t the Hollywood name the 49ers wanted at the helm, with shock links to three-time Premier League title-winner Jose Mourinho emerging. But there was no managerial change and the 49-year-old was handed the chance to prove he’s the right man for the job.
That said, he’ll need to ensure the higher-ups don’t fret over his record in the top-flight, having suffered relegation twice while in charge of Norwich City. Currently, his side look more than capable of avoiding the drop, as highlighted by a spirited comeback against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, when they drew 2-2 after being two goals down.
8 Rob Edwards, Wolverhampton Wanderers
Last season’s league finish: 16th
Wolverhampton Wanderers had a shambolic start to the 2025/26 season under Vitor Pereira. The Old Gold were expected to struggle after losing Matheus Cunha and Rayan Ait-Nouri in the summer and that’s exactly what happened. After going winless and picking up just two points from their opening 11 matches, Pereira was sacked, and he was replaced by Rob Edwards, who was impressing in the Championship with Middlesbrough.
The task that Edwards faced was enormous, and while it seems as though Wolves will be going down come May, he has at least shown signs that the squad are behind him. A big win against Aston Villa show there are signs of life in the pack yet, who could well record some big scalps as they attempt to get as close to the teams above them as possible, while Edwards is expected to remain in charge until the summer at least.
7 Igor Tudor, Tottenham Hotspur
Last season’s league finish: 17th
From a Premier League perspective, the 2024/25 season was an unmitigated disaster for Tottenham. Only the three relegated teams finished below them, but Ange Postecoglou had switched his focus to the Europa League. It was all or nothing for the north Londoners, who clinched silverware with a 1-0 win against Manchester United.
It did not prove to be enough to save Postecoglou, though, as Spurs then sacked him for Thomas Frank. The hope was that the Danish head coach could replicate the success which made him a hit at Brentford. But it was anything but that. Tottenham entered free fall after showing some initial promise in the opening weeks of the season and, with them sitting just five points above the relegation zone, Frank was sacked after eight weeks in charge.
Igor Tudor has been selected as the interim boss to save Spurs from the Championship, but the mood inside the stadium is as toxic as you can find in the Premier League right now. Fans are rightly worried about the direction they are trending in and Tudor will need to get his team fit and firing if they are to improve the situation.
6 Vitor Pereira, Nottingham Forest
Last season’s league finish: 7th
It’s very rarely a dull day at Nottingham Forest with Evangelos Marinakis’ trigger-happy approach. Having managed to secure European football in unlikely fashion, Nuno Espirito Santo was shown the door after a fallout with the club’s hierarchy. Ange Postecoglou was then brought in to replace him, but failed to deliver in 39 days, leading to his exit from the City Ground.
As Forest were flirting with a relegation battle, they turned to someone well versed in survival tactics – Sean Dyche. His arrival represented a full-circle moment, as his playing days as a centre-back started in NG2 – but his affinity to the club didn’t guarantee success. Indeed, after 114 days in charge, Marinakis was on the search for his fourth manager of the season after relieving Dyche of his duties, following no marked improvement in form.
Now, it’s Vitor Pereira’s turn to have a crack at saving the Tricky Trees. Forest’s squad is certainly well-equipped after they brought in the likes of Dan Ndoye, Omari Hutchinson and Igor Jesus this summer, but recent form has been woeful, with one win in their last five games leaving them 17th.
5 Fabian Hurzeler, Brighton and Hove Albion
Last season’s league finish: 8th
Replacing Roberto De Zerbi was no mean feat, but the arrival of former St Pauli boss Fabian Hurzeler has seemingly proven why many think Brighton owner Tony Bloom is one of the best business-minded custodians in the beautiful game. He’s unearthed one of the most exciting tacticians in Europe, and an eighth-placed finish in his debut season is an impressive feat.
GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: Fabian Hurzeler is the youngest permanent manager in Premier League history, as he became the head coach of Brighton & Hove Albion at the age of 31 years and 173 days last summer.
In February 2025, their humiliating 7-0 loss to Nottingham Forest could have caused turmoil at the Amex, but Texas-born Hurzeler and his side put it behind them and showed real character to maintain steady, if not particularly amazing, league form. That being said, he now needs to pull off a similar achievement.
Brighton have entered something of a rough patch, winning just three of their last 10 in all competitions. Fans voiced their disgruntlement after losing to rivals Crystal Palace, and a 14th place standing isn’t doing much to show signs of progression.
4 Eddie Howe, Newcastle United
Last season’s finish: 5th
Eddie Howe earned legendary status at St James’ Park after finally ending Newcastle’s 56-year trophy drought as the Magpies lifted the Carabao Cup. The Englishman steered them to the trophy the hard way, beating Arsenal in the semi-finals and Liverpool in the final. There are huge expectations of Howe because of the Tyneside club’s Saudi backing, but just when you ponder if they could be considering a more Hollywood-esque name, he tends to deliver.
Not only did he place the League Cup in the trophy cabinet, but he also secured Champions League football for the second time in his reign. That said, Howe’s job isn’t safe despite being one year removed from EFL Cup glory.
A few of their summer signings (Anthony Elanga certainly springs to mind) aren’t hitting the mark, performances have been in stark contrast to those put in last season, and a loss in the Tyne-Wear derby in December raised question marks over whether they are a match made in heaven. Further losses to Aston Villa, Manchester City and Brentford raise additional questions, although victories against Tottenham, Qarabag and Villa in the FA Cup could provide a springboard for future success.
3 Scott Parker, Burnley
Last season’s league finish: Promoted (Championship)
When Bayern Munich came calling for Vincent Kompany in July 2024, there was a collective shock among fans because Burnley had suffered relegation. But it spoke of how highly rated the Belgian was, and that was thanks to the time given to him by the head coaches at Turf Moor.
Scott Parker was named as Kompany’s eventual replacement, and you could argue the Englishman has made them a better defensive team, which initially boded well for their return to the Premier League. His troops conceded just 16 goals last season, the best defensive record of any club in the English football league.
That’s the positives out of the way, as Parker will now have to perform miracles to keep his side in the top-flight, something he failed to do at Fulham. Having lost James Trafford to Manchester City, that same defence hasn’t managed to keep strikes out, and a lack of quality signings in January makes relegation feel very predictable for the Clarets, especially as their second-from-last Premier League win came back in late October.
2 Nuno Espirito Santo, West Ham United
Last season’s Premier League finish: 14th
Nuno Espirito Santo was the manager West Ham United turned to after sacking Graham Potter. The latter was axed on September 27 after only eight months in charge at the London Stadium. Has his successor had more luck in east London? Maybe a little.
West Ham went winless in the Portuguese’s first four matches in charge, highlighting just how low the mood was at the London Stadium. There had been speculation that Nuno might be out of a job before the season’s end. But, aside from a 3-2 loss to Chelsea, there have been marked improvements lately, including wins against Tottenham and Sunderland along with a draw against Manchester United.
Now the Irons have some form, it’s imperative that they keep it going. Still inside the relegation places, it could only take a couple of losses to send them spiralling towards the drop, something which would undoubtedly lead to Nuno’s demise after being brushed aside by a Liverpool team that put five past them.
1 Oliver Glasner, Crystal Palace
Last season’s league finish: 12th
The biggest fairytale story of the 2024/25 campaign saw Oliver Glasner guide Crystal Palace to FA Cup glory and their first-ever major trophy. The former Eintracht Frankfurt man arrived with a good reputation, and his style of football has earned plaudits. It takes some serious steel – or, as they say, big cojones – to publicly warn Pep Guardiola that his system would be exposed unless he changed it. But Glasner didn’t just talk the talk after a 5-2 loss. He walked it all the way to Wembley and proved his point under the arches emphatically.
Glasner faced a difficult mission at the start of this season: keeping the good times rolling in South London without Eberechi Eze at the heart of their creative output. He managed to reach 19 games unbeaten following a 2-1 win over Liverpool, but that record came to a halt when they lost away at Everton soon after.
Now, the Eagles are in a rut, and Glasner has made no secret of his unhappiness at Selhurst Park, sensationally stating that he’ll be moving on at the end of the season before hitting out at supporters. It’s all getting a little too toxic at Selhurst Park, and Steve Parish could be pressured to make an early switch if things don’t improve, with former player Gareth Southgate rumoured to be weighed up as an interim option at one stage.
Premier League Managers Most Likely to be Sacked Next
Rank
Manager
Club
1.
Oliver Glasner
Crystal Palace
2.
Nuno Espirito Santo
West Ham United
3.
Scott Parker
Burnley
4.
Eddie Howe
Newcastle United
5.
Fabian Hurzeler
Brighton & Hove Albion
6.
Vitor Pereira
Nottingham Forest
7.
Igor Tudor
Tottenham
8.
Rob Edwards
Wolverhampton Wanderers
9.
Daniel Farke
Leeds United
10.
Arne Slot
Liverpool
11.
David Moyes
Everton
12.
Andoni Iraola
Bournemouth
13.
Marco Silva
Fulham
14.
Liam Rosenior
Chelsea
15.
Unai Emery
Aston Villa
16.
Michael Carrick
Manchester United
17.
Keith Andrews
Brentford
18.
Pep Guardiola
Manchester City
19.
Regis Le Bris
Sunderland
20.
Mikel Arteta
Arsenal