The cut-throat nature of the Premier League means it’s only a matter of time before the first manager is marched to the metaphorical guillotine.
There were 11 managers fired during a tumultuous 2025–26 campaign in England’s top flight, two of which had already been dismissed by the time October rolled around.
While no manager has yet been canned this campaign, the vultures are already circling above Premier League touchlines up and down the country.
The opening weeks of the new season have been arduous for a number of the division’s tacticians, who remain under pressure after a lackluster return to club soccer following the September-October international break.
With that in mind, here are the four Premier League managers most at risk of being fired first.
Michael Carrick
After masterminding Manchester United’s resurgence as interim manager last season, Michael Carrick earned himself a permanent position in the hot seat, and deservedly secured an abundance of good-will from the club’s decision-makers, players and, perhaps most crucially, supporters.
But the beginning of his first full season in charge has served as a reality check. United have regressed during the opening months, with thumping home wins over Ipswich Town and Sabah FK hardly glossing over some truly dire displays in defeats to Hull City, Manchester City, Brighton & Hove Albion and Atlético Madrid.
A 3–0 loss at home to Bournemouth seemed to set the stage for Carrick’s exit, with candidates to replace him now being strongly evaluated.
Carrick hasn’t been aided by the club’s recruitment department, who neglected to bolster the defense or attack when reinventing a tired midfield—a fact Lisandro Martínez highlighted in an explosive rant following the team’s defeat at the Metropolitano.
United fans proved they recognized that fact as they chanted Carrick’s name after the Bournemouth loss, only to immediately turn to boos as soon as the manager retreated to the tunnel.
Pierre Sage
Despite guiding Crystal Palace to FA Cup, Community Shield and Conference League titles, Oliver Glasner’s departure at the end of last season left a sour taste. The Austrian’s subsequent decision to join Nottingham Forest—rather than one of Europe’s bigger clubs—only added to the confusion and frustration among the Selhurst Park faithful.
No matter the manner of Glasner’s exit, though, he’s set an incredibly high bar—one that new manager Pierre Sage will struggle to reach or surpass.
The Frenchman worked miracles during his year with Lens in his homeland, winning them their first-ever Coupe de France title and guiding them through a title race with Paris Saint-Germain in Ligue 1. But those achievements will mean very little to his Palace prospects if results and performances don’t improve from the opening weeks of his reign in south London.
Wins against Fulham and Forest remain the only Premier League victories thus far, and the Eagles have conceded the second-most goals (19) in the league after eight games. Palace’s presence in the Europa League will only stretch a threadbare squad further as the season progresses.
Off the field, there have already been reports of a dressing room fallout, as well as rising tensions between Sage and the board following an unremarkable summer transfer window.
Álvaro Arbeloa
Álvaro Arbeloa was an unorthodox replacement for Marco Silva at Fulham. The now Benfica manager had regularly over-performed in west London, ensuring stability and the odd scalp despite the club’s lack of genuine ambition. Turning to Arbeloa marked a seismic risk—one that seemed set to backfire in the early weeks of the season.
The Spaniard’s temporary, strange and ultimately unsuccessful five months as Real Madrid manager hardly inspired confidence in the decision, even if he’s been able to lean on his connections in Spain’s capital to improve Fulham’s roster.
Three Premier League defeats on the spin immediately raised alarm bells, with some comical defending culpable for two of those losses at the hands of Chelsea and Crystal Palace. He clawed back some faith from Fulham fans following draws with Liverpool and Manchester United, but his position once again became precarious after a late collapse against Ipswich Town.
Consecutive victories over Hull City and Coventry are not the sort of results that will set the world on fire, but they were much-needed results, and Arbeloa will hope to use them as a platform to steer further away from the drop zone.
Frank Lampard
Frank Lampard has rebuilt his reputation at Coventry City after some difficult spells as Chelsea and Everton manager. After swallowing his pride and accepting a return to the Championship, he propelled the Sky Blues back into the Premier League for the first time in 25 years courtesy of an exceptional title-winning campaign.
As a result, Coventry will be reluctant to part ways with Lampard, no matter what happens this season. He deserves time and support as he attempts to steer Coventry to survival in the world’s most competitive division.
However, even following recent wins against Nottingham Forest and Newcastle United, the pressure is mounting. Lampard has overseen six defeats in eight Premier League matches, during which his side has scored just six times—four of which came against the Magpies—and conceded 15 times.
The fixture list has been tough on Coventry early in the campaign and their upcoming schedule looks much more palatable. They have a glorious chance to build on their two victories and put some more points on the board before the next international period.
But the Premier League is merciless—something Lampard knows all too well. If results don’t continue to improve, Coventry might be forced into a managerial change.
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