The Premier League is approaching the run-in and the pressure is mounting on under-performing head coaches. There have been just two top-flight managers sacked since the season got underway, but could we see more before the end of the campaign?
We’ve looked at the five favourites to be the next Premier League manager to leave their club.
Eddie Howe – Newcastle (14/1)
Eddie Howe’s position seemed close to untouchable after last season’s success, when he led Newcastle to a top-four finish and Champions League qualification for the first time in two decades.
A group-stage exit in Europe, admittedly a spirited one in a tough group, was disappointing, while the club’s league form has declined. Newcastle are eighth in the Premier League table and have lost six of their last nine league games. The club’s defensive record of late has been concerning, conceding 3+ goals in four of their last five, having boasted the joint-best defensive record in the Premier League last season.
Vincent Kompany – Burnley (12/1)
Vincent Kompany is another manager whose stock has fallen from an all-time high in the summer, having led Burnley back into the big time in swashbuckling fashion in 2022/23.
The Clarets have found the step up tough, with an inexperienced side – both in terms of age and Premier League knowhow – sitting 19th and seven points from safety. Having invested in a young coach and fresh approach following the Sean Dyche era, the Burnley board face a decision on whether to remain patient with Kompany. The Belgian is a popular figure at Turf Moor, but results have been poor this season.
Jurgen Klopp – Liverpool (12/1)
Jurgen Klopp’s bombshell announcement that he will leave Liverpool in the summer has thrown a curveball into the Premier League’s next managerial exit.
A departure for the German before the end of the season looks unlikely, though his odds have significantly shortened since the news broke. He is the joint-third favourite to be next to leave.
No manager to leave before the summer is also 12/1.
Mauricio Pochettino – Chelsea (3/1)
Is time running out for Mauricio Pochettino at Chelsea?
The Argentine took on the sizeable challenge of building a cohesive Chelsea, but so far he has failed to show real signs of progress at Stamford Bridge.
A scattergun recruitment process from the ownership has hardly helped, though Pochettino was hired for his ability to improve and develop young players. Has there been any tangible progress on that front? Cole Palmer has been excellent, though the likes of Mykhaylo Mudryk and Moises Caicedo have underwhelmed under his management.
After almost £1bn spent since Todd Boehly’s arrival as manager, Chelsea are 11th in the Premier League table and boast a -1 goal difference.
Roy Hodgson – Crystal Palace (4/5)
The Crystal Palace fans vented their frustration at Roy Hodgson and the club’s ownership at the weekend, after a heavy 4-1 defeat to arch-rivals Brighton. Palace are just five points above the Premier League’s drop zone and have won just three times in the league since September.
Hodgson, at 76, is clearly not the long-term solution for Palace, whose team has an exciting core of young talent. A decision on his future might come sooner than the summer, when the veteran’s contract at Selhurst Park expires.
????️ “I’m certainly not going to be cowed by that type of thing”
Roy Hodgson admits it is a “little bit hurtful” hearing Crystal Palace fans calling for him to be sacked ????pic.twitter.com/cQ423oE27e
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) February 3, 2024
Read – Premier League weekend: Five things we learned
See more – Crystal Palace struggling to find Hodgson successor
