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 disastrous first nine 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.
20Mikel 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 feeling that Arteta is the right man to call the shots at the Emirates Stadium following an impressive start to the season, despite a recurring theme of injuries, with the most recent victim being Martin Odegaard.
19Pep 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.
18Arne Slot, Liverpool
Last season’s league finish: 1st
If there’s any team in world football that stands by the ethos that managers need, it’s Liverpool. In many cases, Anfield’s helmsman is revered, cherished, and held in higher regard than the players. It’s a rare club tradition, but one that stretches as far back as the pre-Shankly years, with Jurgen Klopp’s tenure the perfect encapsulation of such a notion.
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Because of this, Arne Slot was feeling as safe as ever on Merseyside, and going off the start to life he’d enjoyed at Anfield, he could follow Klopp in spending most of his career with the Reds. However, that isn’t to say things couldn’t change.
After claiming their 20th league title with four games to spare, the champions have gone on to overhaul their squad with the additions of Premier League record signing Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike, Jeremie Frimpong, and Milos Kerkez. An influx of signings that have yet to bed into the team, Slot’s side have lost three consecutive games, something unheard of for his Liverpool side. Whether this is a blip or the new norm is yet to be seen, but it is a warning to Slot that things can change very quickly.
17Oliver Glasner, Crystal Palace
Last season’s league finish: 10th
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 – 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 in trying to keep the good times rolling in South London without the presence of 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.
16Andoni Iraola, Bournemouth
Last season’s league finish: 9th
AFC Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola looks on
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 mid-table 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 conversations for European qualification.
15Regis 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. With them sitting ninth after seven games, having shown the physicality and game-by-game know-how needed to stay up, that aforementioned gamble has paid off sensationally so far.
14David 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 and 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. After seven games, the Toffees boast a record of three wins, two draws and two losses, including a victory over Crystal Palace, which ended the Eagles’ 19-game unbeaten streak.
13Thomas Frank, Tottenham Hotspur
Last season’s league finish: 17th
Thomas Frank took Brentford as far as he could and will undoubtedly go down as the greatest manager in the club’s history. The Dane deserved to take the next step in his career with the challenge of coaching in the Champions League, and the now-departed Daniel Levy granted him his wish.
It will be the biggest test of Frank’s managerial career thus far with all the pressure that comes with coaching a ‘big six’ club. But Tottenham Hotspur’s shambolic 17th-placed finish last season means he is tasked with returning the Lilywhites to the top half of the top-flight.
Not every Spurs fan was too enthralled to see Frank’s appointment because he took over from history-maker Ange Postecoglou, who masterminded their Europa League win. He’s not only having to win over doubters of his squad but also a fair share of the North Londoners’ fanbase, but heavy backing in the summer has paid dividends early on as they once again look like an exciting team for the neutral, while they are also getting some big results too.
12Eddie Howe, Newcastle United
Last season’s finish: 5th
Eddie Howe earned legendary status at St James’ Park after finally ending Newcastle’s 56-year trophy drought as the Magpies lifted the Carabao Cup. The Englishman steered them to the trophy the hard way, beating Arsenal in the semi-finals and Liverpool in the final.
There are huge expectations of Howe because of the Tyneside club’s Saudi backing, but just when you ponder if they could be considering a more Hollywood-esque name, he delivers. Not only did he place the League Cup in the trophy cabinet, but he also secured Champions League football for the second time in his reign.
Howe’s project might have taken a while to get going, but there’s now absolutely no reason his rich bosses should be looking elsewhere. After finally agreeing to sell Isak to Liverpool, they added the likes of Anthony Elanga, Nick Woltemade, and Yoane Wissa to their ranks, and now look ready to continue building on the promise of last term once again.
11Fabian 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.
GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: Fabian Hurzeler is the youngest permanent manager in Premier League history, as he became the head coach of Brighton & Hove Albion at the age of 31 years and 173 days last summer.
A humiliating 7-0 loss to Nottingham Forest could have caused turmoil at the Amex but 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.
LIVERPOOL10 months ago