As the second international break of the Premier League season arrives, the early smooth flow of the campaign has given way to sharper twists and turns, with unexpected plot lines emerging from all directions. Such is the ruthless nature of the results-driven world of football, it’s evident that the first casualties are not far from being revealed.
Recent developments have fans and pundits alike speculating on who will emerge as the first victim in the season’s sack race. While many are relying on gut feeling, though, Sportscasting has harnessed the power of a supercomputer to analyze the situation, with their machine taking recent form, money spent in transfer windows, popularity amongst fans, and Premier League track records into account. And the findings make for a fascinating read.
1 Erik Ten Hag (Manchester United)
Supercomputer's predicted sack date: 27th October 2024
The supercomputer is predicting that Erik ten Hag will be shown the exit door following back-to-back defeats to both Fenerbahce in the Europa League and West Ham in the Premier League. If such a scenario does unfold, Ten Hag will be the first manager sacked in the 2024/25 Premier League campaign, despite earning the vote of confidence from the INEOS-led boardroom after winning last season's FA Cup.
Manchester United have had their worst start to a Premier League season ever, collecting just eight points from a possible 21, sitting in 14th place in the table. While the jury is still out on their Dutch manager, many thought he would have been booted out of Manchester over the international break to give his bosses ample time to find a replacement, especially as a decision to sack him is already under consideration. But while his position in football's biggest job currently remains, it seems but a matter of time before he faces the sombre music he has long insisted he could not hear.
2 Gary O'Neil (Wolves)
Supercomputer's predicted sack date: 9th November 2024
Wolves, who have earned just a single point from their first seven matches, find themselves firmly anchored at the bottom of the table, with a concerning goal difference of -12. While there’s hope for a potential turnaround after the club faced one of the more difficult opening sets of fixtures, the supercomputer forecasts a grim future for Gary O'Neil, predicting that he may face the axe in early November following a damaging home defeat to fellow relegation contenders Southampton at Molineux.
Many had anticipated Gary O'Neil's downfall would come earlier, as a short pre-season in the 2023/24 campaign, coupled with a string of questionable VAR decisions that seemed to favor their opponents, led many to label Wolves as relegation candidates last season. However, the former Liverpool academy coach managed to turn those doubts into a springboard for success. This time, though, the failure to adequately replace key figures like Max Kilman and Pedro Neto over the summer is now beginning to haunt him.
3 Julen Lopetegui (West Ham)
Supercomputer's predicted sack date: 23rd December 2024
West Ham boss Julen Lopetegui is the next Premier League manager predicted to be looking for a new job relatively soon, with AI predicting he is set to be sacked just two days before Christmas, making for a not-so-merry festive period for the Spaniard. This follows projections that a loss to Brighton just days prior would be the deciding factor in his premature date with unwanted destiny.
West Ham fans are currently frustrated, feeling the club is underperforming in the league and should be pushing for another European spot, especially after David Moyes guided them to their first major trophy in 43 years in the 2023 Europa League. The supercomputer suggests that it won’t be long before the club’s owners share these concerns. Early struggles have resulted in just two wins from seven Premier League matches, and a recent 5-1 thrashing by Liverpool has already seen hopes for the League Cup melt away at the second hurdle.
4 Marco Silva (Fulham)
Supercomputer's predicted sack date: 20th January 2025
The most surprising prediction from the supercomputer is the potential sacking of Marco Silva in January. While there’s still plenty of time until then, it would likely take a disastrous slump for Fulham to part ways with him. After seven games this season, the club is sitting in eighth place, just one win behind Chelsea, who currently hold a spot in the Champions League qualification places.
Silva, who had to cope with the departure of the club's most influential player after Aleksandar Mitrovic was lured by the wealth of Saudi Arabia last summer, has managed to get his revamped side performing on all cylinders and is ranked as one of the best head coaches in the division right now. With Antonee Robinson and Joachim Andersen fortifying the defense, Fulham can rely on the attacking talents of Emile Smith-Rowe and Adama Traore following a successful transfer period. At present, it feels highly unlikely that the Cottagers' hierarchy would lose patience with their current manager. But anything can change.
5 Russell Martin (Southampton)
Supercomputer's predicted sack date: 4th February 2025
After a difficult transfer window, many predicted that Southampton would face challenges this season, and early signs suggest that’s proving to be the case. Russell Martin led the Saints back to the Premier League last year with a distinct style of football, and despite their struggles, the team has been hesitant to deviate from that approach. With the club currently sitting second from the bottom of the table, Martin's success from the previous season may grant him some extra time to turn things around, but that patience won’t last indefinitely.
Sportscasting's supercomputer suggests that he might be granted the hectic winter period to work on rebuilding trust. However, as things stand, the defense has been breached too frequently, and the attackers are doing little to alleviate the pressure, with Southampton having scored the fewest goals this season. Lacking a clear identity, it seems inevitable that, as the season progresses, a decision to part ways in February could be taken as a desperate measure in the fight against relegation.
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