Manager dismissal odds in Premier League: Contenders for the initial coach to be fired
**Premier League Sack Race 2025/26: Top Contenders for the Hot Seat**
As the new Premier League season looms, betting markets have identified the managers who are most at risk of being relieved of their duties. The predictions are based on past performances, club expectations, and the pressures that come with managing newly promoted teams.
### Front-Runners for the Chop
The following table presents the current favourites, their clubs, and the approximate odds of their potential dismissal:
| Manager | Club | Odds (approx.) | |-------------------|-------------|---------------| | Daniel Farke | Leeds Utd | 7/2 [1] | | Keith Andrews | Brentford | 4/1 [2] | | Regis Le Bris | Sunderland | 5/1 [3] | | Scott Parker | Burnley | 6/1 [3] | | Vitor Pereira | Wolves | 33/1 [1] |
#### Reasons for Concern
- Daniel Farke, who led Leeds United to the Championship title last season, faces scrutiny due to his poor Premier League record, having won just six games in 49 matches during his tenure at Norwich City [4]. - Keith Andrews, the new manager at Brentford, is untested at this level and may struggle to meet the expectations of the club's owners, particularly if results are less than satisfactory [5]. - Regis Le Bris, taking over a newly promoted side like Sunderland, faces the immediate challenge of ensuring survival, as early setbacks could prove costly [3]. - Scott Parker, managing another promoted team in Burnley, faces the club's historical tendency to sack managers following slow starts [3]. - Vitor Pereira, who saved Wolves from relegation last season, may face the axe if the new campaign gets off to a rocky start [2].
### Notable Mentions
- **Ange Postecoglou (Tottenham, 3/1):** Despite his reputation, Postecoglou's odds reflect the high expectations at Spurs if results falter [1]. - **Ruud van Nistelrooy (Leicester, 8/13):** Though he was a contender for the sack late last season, it remains unclear whether this status carries over, as different sources cite different contenders [1]. - **Ruben Amorim (Man Utd, 20/1):** Amorim's position could become precarious if Manchester United fail to improve quickly, but his odds are longer [1][2]. - **Graham Potter (West Ham):** Rumours suggest Potter is under pressure after a disappointing run, but he is not among the current favourites in the latest odds [6].
### Key Trends
- **Newly Promoted Managers at Risk:** Managers of promoted teams, especially Leeds, Burnley, and Sunderland, are consistently at the top of the sack race lists, reflecting the heightened pressure and swift decision-making that often occurs when early results are poor [3]. - **Established Clubs Less Likely:** Managers at established Premier League clubs, such as Pep Guardiola (Man City, 28/1) and Enzo Maresca (Chelsea, 20/1), face much longer odds, indicating greater job security unless results collapse early in the campaign [1]. - **Mid-Table Volatility:** Managers at clubs like Brentford and Wolves could see their odds shorten dramatically with a poor start, but at this stage, they are seen as less vulnerable than those at newly promoted sides [1][3].
#### Additional Facts
- Regis Le Bris, the manager of Sunderland, achieved promotion to the Premier League last season without the financial advantage of parachute payments [7]. - Daniel Farke, the current favourite to be the first manager sacked, led Leeds United to the Championship title [8]. - Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis may put extra demands on the squad due to the Europa League campaign, posing new challenges for Nuno Espirito Santo [9]. - Keith Andrews, Brentford's new manager, has no prior managerial experience, having been promoted from the position of Brentford's set-piece coach [10]. - Burnley, one of the newly promoted teams, will be aiming to maintain their water-tight defence for a successful season in the Premier League [11]. - Nuno Espirito Santo, the manager of Nottingham Forest, led the team into Europe for the first time in a generation by finishing seventh in the previous season [12].
[1] Odds from Bet365 as of 1st July 2025. [2] Odds from William Hill as of 1st July 2025. [3] Odds from Ladbrokes as of 1st July 2025. [4] Source: BBC Sport [5] Source: The Athletic [6] Source: Sky Sports [7] Source: The Guardian [8] Source: Sky Sports [9] Source: The Sun [10] Source: BBC Sport [11] Source: BBC Sport [12] Source: The Telegraph
Theected managers of Leeds United and Brentford, Daniel Farke and Keith Andrews respectively, face scrutiny due to their dubious track records in the Premier League, potentially leading to dismissals if their performances do not meet expectations. Meanwhile, Ruud van Nistelrooy at Leicester and Ruben Amorim at Man Utd could find themselves under pressure if results fail to meet the high standards set for their clubs.
As the Premier League progresses, European-leagues like La Liga and Bundesliga might offer refuge for managers under distress, as was the case with Manchester United's former manager, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who recently joined RB Leipzig to continue his sports-analysis career.
