Premier League Sack Race Odds: West Ham Manager Lopetegui Next In Line For Axe
Gary O’Neil and Russell Martin joined a growing list of Premier League managers to be sacked this season and betting sites have updated their odds on who could be next in line.
O’Neil was shown the door following Wolves’ stoppage-time defeat at home to relegation rivals Ipswich and on the same day rock-bottom Southampton dismissed Martin on the back of a 5-0 drubbing by Tottenham at St Mary’s.
Manchester United’s Erik ten Hag was the first to lose his job towards the end of October and a month later Leicester made the same decision to get rid of Steve Cooper, but who will be the fifth top-flight manager to go?
We look at who is in the firing line and the latest Premier League sack race odds suggest it is not looking good for one man in particular.
Premier League Sack Race Odds
Manager | Club | Odds | Bookmaker |
Julen Lopetegui | West Ham | 4/7 | |
Pep Guardiola | Man City | 5/1 | |
Ange Postecoglou | Tottenham | 10/1 | |
Sean Dyche | Everton | 11/1 | |
Eddie Howe | Newcastle | 16/1 | |
Ruud van Nistelrooy | Leicester | 20/1 | |
Kieran McKenna | Ipswich | 20/1 | |
Fabian Hurzeler | Brighton | 20/1 |
Time Running Out For Lopetegui
Julen Lopetegui was the 11/8 favourite in the next Premier League manager to lose his job odds when both O’Neil and Martin were still at the helm of their respective clubs, so the West Ham boss has at least done well to last this long.
The Hammers went close to making it back-to-back victories three months into the season, but a spectacular last-minute free-kick from Enes Unal meant they had to settle for a 1-1 draw at Bournemouth.
That result ensured the Hammers remain in 14th place, seven points clear of the relegation zone, ahead of a tough run of games against Brighton, Southampton, leaders Liverpool, champions Manchester City and Aston Villa.
Whether the Spaniard makes it to the New Year remains to be seen, but the former Wolves boss is 4/7 with football betting sites to be the next Premier League manager to be looking for a job.
Guardiola Second Favourite To Go Next
Pep Guardiola was 20/1 in the Premier League Sack Race odds at the start of December following a 2-0 defeat at title rivals Liverpool, but Manchester City’s form remains abysmal and he is now 5/1 to be the next manager to leave.
City conceded two late goals at home to local rivals United as they slumped to an eighth defeat in 11 games in all competitions – the worst run of Guardiola’s managerial career.
In his post-match interview, the Spaniard repeatedly claimed “I am not good enough” to find the solutions needed to arrest City’s slide.
Their hopes of a fifth successive Premier League title are looking shaky, nine points behind leaders Liverpool and not even inside the top four ahead of a tough trip to Aston Villa this weekend.
Manchester City are also in danger of missing out on the knockout stage of the Champions League altogether having started the campaign as favourites to win the competition, so it’s clear all is not well at the Etihad.
The outcome of their legal battle against 115 charges for alleged financial breaches could be known in early 2025 which makes it an uncertain future for the club and Guardiola, who signed a new two-year contract recently.
Postecoglou Still Not Convincing
Ange Postecoglou continues to entertain and infuriate Tottenham fans in equal measure and is 10/1 with betting apps to become the next manager to leave his post.
Spurs followed a 2-1 home defeat by Ipswich with a 4-0 win at champions Manchester City only to pick up just one point from their next three games against Fulham, Bournemouth and Chelsea, who overcame a 2-0 deficit to run out 4-3 winners.
Remarkably, the north London side then scored five first-half goals at Southampton in a 5-0 victory, so it would be fair to classify Tottenham’s season as inconsistent, with seven wins and as many defeats from 16 games saying it all.
They have twice lost when holding two-goal leads this season and are only in the top half of the table thanks to an excellent goal difference, although that could all change between now and Boxing Day.
Spurs host Liverpool this weekend followed by a tough trip to high-flying Nottingham Forest, so Postecoglou could start to feel the heat heading into the New Year.
Pressure Off Dyche Despite Goal Concerns
As hard as he might work, Sean Dyche cannot seem to move himself away from the top of the sack race market.
Despite a 4-0 victory over relegation rivals Wolves at Goodison Park, Everton have failed to score in five of their last six games and are only three points clear of the relegation zone.
An encouraging goalless draw at Arsenal came as a major surprise, but the Toffees’ next five games are all against teams in the top half of the table, including Chelsea, Manchester City, Nottingham Forest, Aston Villa and Tottenham.
Dyche was 5/2 for the axe at the start of December, but is now 11/1, although those odds should shorten dramatically if Everton find themselves in the bottom three at the end of January.
Howe High After Foxes Coup
Eddie Howe has come under scrutiny in recent weeks, but a 4-0 victory over Leicester last time out means Newcastle are only in the bottom half of the table on goal difference.
The Magpies face the bottom three between now and the end of January, but they also have some very tough fixtures.
Howe is now 16/1 to be the next top-flight manager to go, but that could all change between now and the New Year.
Elsewhere, Ruud van Nistelrooy’s first defeat as Leicester manager saw his odds cut to 20/1, the same price as Kieran McKenna and Fabian Hurzeler.
McKenna oversaw Ipswich’s second win of the season last weekend, a 2-1 victory at relegation rivals Wolves.
Hurzeler was 50/1 to be shown the door by Brighton before their 3-1 home defeat by arch rivals Crystal Palace, but those odds have since been slashed.
