Thursday, March 28, 2024

Bruce, Nuno, Farke: Who are the Premier League managers leading the sack race?

Tom Dunstan in Editorial, English Premier League 11 Oct 2021

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With Newcastle’s controversial takeover finally completed last week, all eyes are firmly on who could be the next manager taking up the hot seat at St. James’ Park.

However, while Mikel Arteta might have eased some of the pressure on his shoulders as he claimed September’s Manager of the Month award, a host of Premier League bosses remain under real scrutiny.

Watching Claudio Ranieri replace now-former boss Xisco Munoz as the Spaniard was given his marching orders by Watford last week, we have taken a look at three other managers who could be facing the axe.

Steve Bruce – Newcastle

With Newcastle’s blockbuster £305million takeover finally announced amidst huge controversy last week, there is no doubt that Steve Bruce’s days at St. James’ Park are coming to an end.

Already announcing following the takeover that he expects to be replaced by the new Saudi-led regime, the one-time Sunderland boss already finds himself priced as low at 1/8 888sport to be the next manager out the door.

Really failing to find any goodwill among Newcastle fans, many around the north east have made it clear that they want the 60-year-old to be replaced with immediate effect.

While they might be linked with managerial heavyweights such as Antonio Conte, the Magpies will be more than aware that they return from the international break at the heart of a relegation scrap.

Failing to land a single Premier League win so far this season under Bruce, Newcastle still have some way to go before they can splash their newfound cash in the January transfer window.

Making their return to action this weekend against Spurs, it still remains to be seen if Bruce will be in the dugout for what should be one final contest.

Nuno Espirito Santo – Tottenham

Making their own return from October’s international break with a trip to St. James’ Park, Nuno Espirito Santo is another Premier League boss who finds himself under real pressure.

While Spurs might have managed to land a 2-1 victory at home against Aston Villa earlier in the month, the former Wolves manager has struggled to find much stability since moving to north London.

Enduring a torrid run of form last month that saw them suffer consecutive hammerings at the hands of Crystal Palace, Chelsea, and Arsenal, the 47-year-old has also failed to win over many Tottenham fans.

Gaining a reputation for their issues at both ends of the pitch, it was no secret over the summer that Nuno was not one of the standout names on Spurs’ wishlist to replace Jose Mourinho on a permanent basis.

Knowing that they once again face a real uphill battle if they’re to land a top-four finish this season, Santo has also struggled to get the best out of Harry Kane. In fact, the England skipper is enduring his worst Premier League drought since 2016.

With a potential must-win contest this weekend, Santo finds himself priced at 15/2 with Betfair to be the next manager out of a job.

Daniel Farke – Norwich City

Although Norwich might have managed to scrape a 0-0 draw away at Burnley when heading into the international break, it does not cover what has been another nightmare Premier League run.

Gaining plenty of criticism from fans and pundits alike over the past month, it is no surprise to many that the east Anglia outfit are once again tipped as a landslide pick to be hit with an immediate Championship return.

Managing to muster just a single point from their opening seven top-flight fixtures, the Canaries have only shown the same issues that haunted them throughout their last Premier League run.

Already rooted to the foot of the table, and with that not expected to change anytime soon, Norwich are now enduring their worst-ever start to a domestic campaign.

While the hierarchy at Carrow Road might have remained loyal to Farke, some cracks could be starting to show.

With it reported earlier in the month that patience could be wearing thin, the one-time Borussia Dortmund coach now finds himself priced at 17/2 with Unibet to be a surprise next managerial casualty.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Tom Dunstan


Formerly of The Independent, Tom has spent the past six years as one of our senior writers and betting experts. Alongside working with numerous publications from across the globe, Tom also graduated from the University of Falmouth in 2014 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Digital Media.
Spending almost the past decade working in countries such as Australia, New Zealand and Canada, he has also spent time featuring in sports radio. Tom can be followed on Instagram - @iamtomdunstan

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