Which Premier League manager is most likely to be sacked first?

The pressure is always on Premier League managers, but a poor run of results can quickly put a boss at the top of the sack race.

There will be a whopping nine new managers in Premier League dugouts this season, while several of those who remain in post will also be under pressure to deliver in 2026/27.

So who are the favourites to be the first Premier League manager shown the door? Here's the rundown on the leading contenders in this season's sack race.

Sergej Jakirovic (Hull) 7/2

Sergej Jakirovic heads the market at best odds of 7/2 to be the first Premier League manager sacked.

Hull are widely expected to struggle on their return to the top flight, with the Tigers tipped by many to make a quickfire return to the second tier.

A poor start could see confidence quickly erode and the Bosnian boss could be the first in the division to bite the bullet.

Gary O'Neil (Ipswich) 9/2

Gary O'Neil is second favourite in the betting to be the first Premier League manager shown the door.

He returns to the top flight after swapping Strasbourg for Ipswich following Kieran McKenna's departure, but keeping the Tractor Boys up represents a far tougher challenge than anything he's faced previously.

O'Neil's spells with Bournemouth and Wolves were hardly spectacular, and with Ipswich having spent big this summer, he'll need to hit the ground running to avoid finding himself under pressure.

Alvaro Arbeloa (Fulham) 17/2

Alvaro Arbeloa has big shoes to fill at Fulham after Marco Silva's departure, with his appointment at Craven Cottage coming somewhat out of left field.

Arbeloa's first senior management job at Real Madrid didn't exactly go to plan, with the Spanish giants dumped out of the Copa del Rey by second tier Albacete and finishing eight points behind Barcelona in La Liga.

A W17 D2 L8 record was hardly befitting of the Bernabeu, and Arbeloa now faces another huge challenge with significantly less quality at his disposal.

Given the pressure that comes with replacing Silva, I wouldn't be surprised to see the Spaniards stay at Craven Cottage cut short, with 17/2 looking a decent price.

Regis Le Bris (Sunderland) 16/1

Regis Le Bris looks good value to be the first Premier League manager to be given his marching orders.

The Sunderland boss performed something of a minor miracle last season by steering the Black Cats to a top-seven finish and European football, but second-season syndrome is a real possibility.

The added demands of continental football could also take their toll on a squad that hasn't seen a great deal of strengthening over the summer.

There were widespread reports towards the end of last season that Le Bris' job was under threat if he failed to secure European football, which seemed quite remarkable given the job he had done.

Expectations will be considerably higher this time around, so the Frenchman looks overpriced to be sent packing from the Stadium of Light.

Other Contenders

Newcastle boss Matthias Jaissle could be worth a look at best odds of 12/1. The Magpies have lost plenty of their star power over the summer, while Jaissle also has a tough act to follow in Eddie Howe. To make matters worse, he hasn't had much of a pre-season to get his ideas across following Howe's shock departure so late in the summer.

Enzo Maresca is another who merits consideration at 20/1. The Italian has the unenviable task of following Pep Guardiola, and a 3-0 defeat to Arsenal in the Community Shield was hardly the ideal way to start life in the job.

Oliver Glasner looks an excellent appointment by Nottingham Forest, and I'd expect him to do a good job at the City Ground. However, he can't be completely ruled out at 10/1 given the trigger-happy nature of Tricky Trees owner Evangelos Marinakis.

MFT'S prediction

• Regis Le Bris 16/1

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