The Premier League Sack Race: Who’s Safe and Who’s Staring at the Trapdoor?

The Premier League’s carousel never stays quiet for long. As we motor into the second half, the temperature in dugouts across the country is rising, and not everyone will make it to May. Just ask Ruben Amorim — 14 months at Manchester United and the axe fell. At the other end, Arne Slot’s title-winning debut at Liverpool has his board topping up the squad and dreaming of more.

For punters scanning the odds on the best betting sites, this sack race is as spicy as ever: boardroom patience, form lines, injuries and fixture runs all collide under the glare of the cameras. Here’s my read — from the safest seats to the ones starting to creak.

Ranking factors

We’re weighing up recent results, last season’s finish, squad turnover, dressing-room mood, the owner’s tolerance for turbulence, and whether the narrative is trending up or tailing off.

20) Mikel Arteta — Arsenal

Last season’s runners-up again, and a Champions League semi-final to boot, despite long injury layoffs for Bukayo Saka and Kai Havertz. Declan Rice has been the grown-up in the room, and Arsenal even sat top heading into 2026. Three straight bridesmaid finishes sting, especially with Spurs and Liverpool lifting silver, but Arteta’s project is purring. He’s going nowhere — unless it’s up the steps to collect a trophy.

19) Unai Emery — Aston Villa

From doubters at Arsenal to darling in the Midlands. Emery’s turned Villa into a European regular, with Ollie Watkins, Morgan Rogers and new boy Evan Guessand giving defences kittens. Champions League midweeks stretched them, and missing the top five on the final day hurt, but since Monchi’s exit in September, the Villans have ripped through a 15-game run with just one defeat — albeit a reality-checking 4-1 at Arsenal. Safe as houses.

18) Régis Le Bris — Sunderland

High-risk, high-reward? So far, all reward. The Frenchman has ushered Sunderland back to the big time for the first time since 2017, mixing smart tweaks with youthful spark from Chris Rigg and Jobe Bellingham. Handing the armband to Granit Xhaka was a shrewd touch, and a derby win over Newcastle bought time and belief. Of the promoted trio, the Black Cats look best equipped to stick. Le Bris won’t be packing boxes any time soon.

17) Pep Guardiola — Manchester City

City’s wobble after Rodri’s ACL rupture saw the crown slip and a third-place finish. Even so, Guardiola inked fresh terms through 2027, and a reset followed: sporting director Hugo Viana arrived; Tijani Reijnders, Rayan Cherki and Rayan Aït-Nouri were added; Kevin De Bruyne waved goodbye; and Erling Haaland started tearing it up again. An abject 2-0 derby defeat to United set alarm bells pinging, but if Pep goes, it’s usually on his terms — not via a P45.

16) Keith Andrews — Brentford

Big shoes, big call. With Thomas Frank off to Tottenham, Brentford promoted set-piece sage Keith Andrews. He’s had to navigate life without Bryan Mbeumo (to Man United) and ex-skipper Christian Nørgaard (to Arsenal), yet he’s chalked off statement wins over Liverpool (3-2), Man United (3-1) and Newcastle (3-1). Inevitably there’ll be bumps, but so far he looks the part. The Bees’ model buys him patience.

15) Liam Rosenior — Chelsea

Enzo Maresca’s decent start curdled amid poor league form and a bust-up upstairs, and he was binned on New Year’s Day. In came Liam Rosenior, fresh from impressing at Strasbourg and gifted a six-and-a-half-year deal. The cups brought mixed signals, but his Premier League bow ended with a tidy 2-0 win. It’s early days, but the mood music is positive — and the hierarchy clearly fancies a long-term project.

14) Michael Carrick — Manchester United

United wanted a calmer pair of hands after Amorim. Michael Carrick took the brief as a short-term fixer with no promises beyond summer — and immediately banked a seismic 2-0 win at City. With early exits in both domestic cups, he’s got just 17 league matches to marshal. A club legend’s aura buys forgiveness for the odd stinker; deliver a top-four push and he’ll have done exactly what was asked.

13) Marco Silva — Fulham

Perennially underrated, Silva keeps Fulham punching mid-table while the cast changes around him. An 11th-place finish and an FA Cup semi last season with minimal summer churn — plus key men Rodrigo Muniz (now tied down) and Antonee Robinson retained — speak to stability. The caveat? Less than a year left on his deal invites noise. The Cottage loves him; the owner needs to sort the contract to keep distractions at bay.

12) Andoni Iraola — Bournemouth

Remember the uproar when Gary O’Neil was replaced? That aged well. Iraola’s Cherries have taken scalps for fun, including a 3-0 at Old Trafford and a league double over Arsenal last term. The talent drain is real — Dean Huijsen to Real Madrid, Milos Kerkez to Liverpool, Ilya Zabarnyi to PSG, and Antoine Semenyo off to Man City — and results have dipped of late, but the style, structure and ceiling keep him safe. If anything, the danger is a bigger fish circling.

11) David Moyes — Everton

Back to the future at Goodison. Moyes steadied a side rattled by a 10-point deduction and dragged them to 13th, with the Freidkin Group ushering in a cleaner direction. Talk of Europe isn’t daft — not with Jack Grealish in on loan and the defensive steel returning — but one win in seven is a red flag. He’s not in immediate peril, yet few clubs pivot from optimism to agitation quicker than Everton. The temperature’s warmer here than above.

So that’s the state of play: plenty of bosses sleeping soundly, a few reaching for the decaf, and one or two already eyeing the fire exits. The carousel’s creaking back into motion — keep your nerve, gaffers.