Premier League Sack Race: Ten Hag on the edge as Martin flounders

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The Football Faithful

·1 October 2024

Premier League Sack Race: Ten Hag on the edge as Martin flounders

Who will be the next Premier League manager to be sacked? There are no shortage of possible candidates just six weeks into the new season.

Erik ten Hag is the clear favourite after Manchester United were thoroughly beaten by Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford on Sunday. The result leaves the club 13th in the table on seven points with a goal difference of -3.

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The Dutchman is coming under increasing pressure over his side’s poor performances, but reports claim that he will remain in charge for the upcoming games against FC Porto and Aston Villa.

Meanwhile, at the opposite end of the country, Russell Martin is on the brink of being fired after Southampton extended their winless run to six games. The Saints were comfortable defeated 3-1 by south coast rivals Bournemouth.

Read – Five managers who could replace Ten Hag at Man Utd

After the game Martin said his players were “soft” and lacked “fight, aggression and courage”. When the manager starts publicly criticising his players like that, it usually doesn’t end well for them.

Southampton are only kept off the bottom of the Premier League standings on goal difference by Wolves, who also only have one point from their opening six matches.

Gary O’Neil’s side have only won once in the league since 30 March, beating Luton Town at home on 27 April. Their only other victory came against Burnley in the League Cup. That dreadful run of form could lose him his job sooner rather than later, although the crowd at Molineux does not appear to have turned on him yet.

Sean Dyche eased some of the pressure on him this past weekend after Everton picked up their first win of the season, beating Crystal Palace 2-1 at Goodison Park. That result took them out of the relegation zone.

His position will come under renewed scrutiny if The Friedkin Group takeover the club, though. Billionaire Dan Friedkin is said to want to hire former Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri.

That result has put more pressure on Oliver Glasner, whose Palace team are yet to win a match this season. A mitigating factor in his favour is that the club sold two of his key players from last year.

Julen Lopetegui has not gotten off to a good start at West Ham United, although the fact his side have had to negotiate a tough fixture schedule probably gives him a reprieve. Following Saturday’s draw with Brentford, a win over Ipswich Town this weekend is a must.

A promising performance at Arsenal will have done Steve Cooper no harm, although his Leicester City team remain winless. The Foxes sit 17th in the table on three points.

Read – Graham Potter responds to Man Utd and England job links