Premier League Sack Race Odds: Who is next in the firing line?

Premier League managers are falling like flies at the moment with five bosses axed since the start of October.

On the plus side two of those five are already back in work. Xisxo Munoz jetted back to Spain with Huesca just three weeks after losing the Watford job, while Dean Smith has jumped straight back on the Premier League steam train as Norwich manager, all of eight days after leaving Aston Villa.

Smith and Daniel Farke were casualties of the most recent international break but another manager, yes we’re talking about you Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, seems to have survived the chop as he prepares for another crucial week in Man Utd’s season.

Below we take a look at the state of play in the Premier League Sack Race as we edge closer to the frenzied festive season…

Brendan Rodgers odds-on to replace Solskjaer

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, the 8/11 favourite in the Sack Race, may have survived the international break but his future looks bleak at Old Trafford following a dreadful sequence of four defeats in his last six league games.

Those Brendan Rodgers rumours refuse to go away. MEN reports that the Leicester manager is United’s preferred candidate - he’s the 4/6 favourite - although speculation involving three-time Champions League winner Zinedine Zidane (11/2) has heated up over the course of the last week.

Ajax manager Erik Ten Hag (14/1) is an option that excites many fans given his attractive style of play, trophy haul, and that memorable past venture to the Champions League semi-finals.

But, for now, Solskjaer remains at the helm ahead of a pivotal week in which Man Utd face away trips to Watford, Villarreal, then Chelsea.

Nightmare festive fixture list for Rafa

A return of a single point from four league games prior to the international break has put pressure on Rafa Benitez, whose Everton side had initially enjoyed a bright start to the season after they registered four wins and just the one defeat from their opening seven games.

Everton, in 11th but just two points off 6th, have been hampered by injuries to key personnel while it must be said that Benitez was handed less than £2m to spend during his summer arrival - every other top-flight club spent more including Aston Villa (£93m) who are five points and five places below Everton.

Everton’s wobbly form and the shock manner of a recent 5-2 hammering at home to Watford have sharpened the knives of critics who may soon be launching a full-scale attack on the 8/1-priced Benitez considering that points in the upcoming weeks could be hard to come by: Everton face Man City next, Liverpool in two weeks time, then Arsenal, Chelsea and Leicester before Christmas. A rejuvenated Crystal Palace will be no easy task either.

A meagre points return could land him in a real spot of bother, although in the past Everton have shown patience.

Ones to watch...

We’re big fans of Thomas Frank here at The Sack Race and while we’re sure he retains the full-backing of the Brentford hierarchy, there may well be a few nerves jangling after a run of four straight defeats.

The Dane's a relatively big price out at 20/1 in the market but he has a favourable fixture schedule coming up against the likes of Newcastle, Everton, Leeds, and Watford.

Claudio Ranieri is up near the top of the betting at 8/1. From three games so far he's orchestrated a stunning 5-2 win at Everton, either side of poor showings against Liverpool and Southampton.

We all know that no Watford manager is ever completely safe, so this coupled with fixtures against Man Utd, Leicester, Chelsea, then Man City means the Italian is definitely worth keeping an eye on.

It's difficult to see Leeds ever sacking iconic boss Marcelo Bielsa (16/1) who is beginning to turn things around following a difficult injury-ravaged start to the season. 

New faces, new prices

A trio of managers make their debuts at their new clubs this weekend, and have all entered into the market with odds of 33/1.

Eddie Howe has returned to the Premier League after a 15 month break. He faces a tough task to rejuvenate a so far winless Newcastle but the arrival of Howe, an excellent coach with attack-minded principles, will be a breath of fresh air at St James’ Park.

Steven Gerrard is a Premier League legend from his playing days. Now, can he prove himself as a manager? He made the difficult, albeit relatively swift, decision to switch Rangers for Aston Villa last week which created a buzz in the Midlands but left a sour taste in half of Glasgow. Gerrard joins an ambitious club with plenty of talent and money to spend, however, his first task will be to move his new side clear of the danger zone.

However, it’s Dean Smith who arguably has the most difficult job after he penned a deal to become the new Norwich manager. The Canaries are the hot favourites for the drop but Smith can take a small dose of confidence from the fact that he joins a side who actually won their last match.

No more sackings?

You can find odds off 33/1 for this unlikely outcome…