Sack Race Showdown: Premier League Gaffers Ranked from Bulletproof to Bothered (20–11)

The business end of the season is here, and with it comes that familiar creak of the managerial merry-go-round. Chairs will swivel, statements will be drafted, and somewhere a club legend will be pressed into service to steady a rocking ship. Some benches look bombproof; others feel one bad week away from a boardroom panic.

We’ve weighed form lines, fixture lists, ownership patience, dressing-room mood and the relentless media glare to judge who’s sitting pretty — and who should keep a bag packed. If you fancy a flutter, the markets at the best betting sites are buzzing — but this is a projection, not a prophecy.

20) Mikel Arteta — Arsenal

In sack-race terms, he’s practically untouchable. Arsenal have kept their foot down and opened a hefty lead at the summit, even after last year’s near-miss and a bruising injury run for Bukayo Saka and Kai Havertz. Declan Rice has been the glue and the drive, Europe brought a semi-final run, and silverware finally feels within reach. The only pressure? Turning bridesmaid status into a title — but Arteta’s seat is the comfiest in the league.

19) Pep Guardiola — Manchester City

City’s worst wobble of the Guardiola era came after Rodri’s ACL blow, and the crown slipped. Yet Pep signed on to 2027, and a refresh under new sporting director Hugo Viana — with the likes of Tijani Reijnders, Rayan Cherki and Rayan Aït-Nouri — has put them back in trophy-chasing mode, not least with a Carabao Cup final to contest. The title might be a stretch this time, and whispers about life after Pep persist, but a sacking? Behave. Not this season.

18) Michael Carrick — Manchester United

Brought in to calm the waters after Ruben Amorim’s exit, Carrick’s done plenty more than steady the ship. Seven wins in nine, scalps of City, Arsenal and Villa, and Old Trafford actually purring again. He’s a club icon with a squad responding to clear, simple instruction. Interim by title, safe by performance — and odds-on to be made permanent if this carries on.

17) Keith Andrews — Brentford

A bold call after Thomas Frank’s departure, promoting the set-piece maestro to the big chair raised eyebrows. Yet Andrews has knitted a punchy, organised side despite losing Bryan Mbeumo to United and Christian Nørgaard to Arsenal. Eye-catching wins over Liverpool, United and a Newcastle double suggest there’s real substance here. European spots are in play — sack talk isn’t.

16) Unai Emery — Aston Villa

Emery’s revival act at Villa Park has been one of the league’s success stories, but 2026 has bitten hard. A shock FA Cup exit to Newcastle and a spate of league defeats — Arsenal, Everton, Brentford, Chelsea, Wolves and United — have dimmed the title-chaser chatter. The good news? Banked credit, European know-how and goals from Ollie Watkins with Morgan Rogers buzzing about. He needs to stop the slide, but he’s earned patience.

15) Régis Le Bris — Sunderland

A high-wire hire that’s paying off handsomely. Promotion via Wembley, a neat tactical brain, and a willingness to back bright young things like Chris Rigg and Jobe Bellingham. Handing the armband to Granit Xhaka has added steel and savvy. Mid-table comfort on their Premier League return says it all — safe as houses.

14) Marco Silva — Fulham

Silva keeps guiding Fulham through churn without losing their mid-table mojo. An FA Cup semi-final last term, minimal summer fuss, and the key men Rodrigo Muniz and Antonee Robinson retained, with Oscar Bobb added in January. The only niggle is contractual — less than a year left means the board should sort it before it becomes a sideshow. On the touchline, he’s golden.

13) Andoni Iraola — Bournemouth

Remember the flak when Gary O’Neil was replaced? Looks daft now. Iraola’s high-octane outfit take on anyone, and after a grim festive run they’ve reset impressively — unbeaten in the league since early January and fresh off a hard-earned point against United. The bigger danger isn’t the sack; it’s a heavyweight circling if he keeps this up, especially after sales of Dean Huijsen, Milos Kerkez, Ilya Zabarnyi and Antoine Semenyo.

12) David Moyes — Everton

Back at Goodison and back to basics — in the best way. After a brutal 10-point deduction and another relegation dogfight, Moyes has stiffened the spine, with The Friedkin Group now steering the ship. Talk of Europe from James Tarkowski no longer sounds daft, and Jack Grealish on loan adds guile. Conference League chatter is realistic; the sack isn’t.

11) Rob Edwards — Wolverhampton Wanderers

Vitor Pereira’s start left Wolves on the canvas, and Edwards walked into a firefight. Relegation remains a real threat, but the response — statement wins over Villa and champions Liverpool — shows the dressing room is onside. If the drop comes, he looks the man to rebuild; the board should see it that way too. Under pressure by circumstance, not performance.

That’s the bottom half of our safety scale, from rock-solid to simmering. The closer we get to the trapdoor and the trophies, the louder the rumble gets — and the next set of dugouts will feel it most.