Sports
Ranking Every Premier League Manager by How Likely They Are to be Sacked
A new season of the Premier League 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. Ruben Amorim knows this all too well as he’s already feeling the heat after a hodgepodge first 12 months in charge of Manchester United. Meanwhile, Arne Slot‘s magnificent title-winning debut season at Liverpool has given his owners the impetus to improve his squad. Still, others may soon find themselves under intense scrutiny to turn things around.
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, GIVEMESPORT examines 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.
- Fan feeling 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. 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 this year without them. Silverware is the currency of success, and there’s still a strong feeling that Arteta is the right man to call the shots at the Emirates Stadium following an impressive start to the season.
19
Pep Guardiola, Manchester City
Last season’s league finish: 3rd
It seems 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, has lured the likes of Tijani Reijnders, Rayan Cherki and Rayan Ait-Nouri to the Etihad, and this may well have breathed new life into one of the greatest football managers of all time.
18
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 could prove to be an astute move. They are flying high in the early months of the campaign, having shown the physicality and game-by-game know-how needed to stay up.
17
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 Austrian hasn’t just turned the tide at Selhurst Park; he has exceeded expectations, transforming the Eagles into one of the most formidable teams to play against.
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. Managing to reach 19 games unbeaten following a 2-1 win over Liverpool, a record he lost away at Everton soon after, it’s safe to say he’s managed to do just that so far.
16
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, Morgan Rogers and summer signing Evan Guessand now 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.
Emery got his way and sporting director Monchi departed in September which has caused a U-turn at Villa Park with his Villans in fine form heading into the winter. They have reclaimed their status as European qualification candidates.
15
Enzo Maresca, Chelsea
Last season’s league finish: 4th
Enzo Maresca, with Chelsea’s track record of impatient higher-ups, will always be walking on a tightrope. After Roman Abramovich spent his time at Stamford Bridge hiring and firing managers like it was going out of fashion, many would have expected less drama under Todd Boehly. Instead, it’s been more of the same. Beyond the billions of pounds spent on new transfers, the Blues also saw Thomas Tuchel, Graham Potter, and Frank Lampard all come and go during the 2022/23 campaign, before Mauricio Pochettino failed to make sense of it all and departed after just 12 months at Stamford Bridge.
The Blues were expected to cruise to the Conference League trophy and Maresca ensured they did just that while Boehly finally got his hands on a long-awaited trophy. But Maresca went one step further in the summer, making history as the west Londoners became FIFA Club World Cup champions and earned millions along the way.
Defeating PSG in the final was a massive achievement that shouldn’t be excused for a supposed European title hangover. But Maresca deserves to be backed, and there are still question marks over the club’s recruitment, and we know how disagreements between the manager and this board end up. Just ask now-England chief Thomas Tuchel.
14
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.
The jury is out on whether the west Londoners have made the right decision, but 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 (3-1).
13
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 the top 10 and gone toe-to-toe with some of the Premier League’s big guns. The Spaniard oversaw a famous 3-0 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford and did the double over runners-up Arsenal.
Iraola could be poached, though, if he continues to take the South Coast outfit further up the table in the 2025-26 campaign. It would be some achievement after losing Dean Huijsen to Real Madrid, Milos Kerkez to Liverpool and Ilya Zabarnyi to Paris Saint-Germain, but Antoine Semenyo seems to be doing more than enough to keep them in and around the conversation for European qualification.
12
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 instant impact after replacing Sean Dyche in January 2025. His 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 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.
11
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 proven why many think Brighton owner Tony Bloom is one of the best businessmen in the 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.
A 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. The next step may be competing for a trophy, having watched rivals Palace’s FA Cup joy, but they have a manager who could replicate that success. However, he’s still showing some inexperience at this stage of his coaching career.
