Which Premier League managers could be sacked during the international break? Latest odds as pressure mounts on De Zerbi and Carrick

The Premier League is entering a three-week hiatus for the first international break of the season, but not all managers will be able to particularly enjoy their extended period of rest and relaxation.

Five games into the new campaign, a number of bosses feel at risk of an early axing – some more than others – after heavy summer spending has so far failed to translate into results.

A staggering 11 top-flight clubs have a manager that was appointed in 2026 but that number could yet increase in a year characterised by turbulence in the dugout.

With that, here are the six Premier League managers most likely to be sacked as we head into the international break:

Honourable mention: Unai Emery – 25/1

We’ll preface this by stating that we don’t believe Aston Villa will sack Emery; he guided them to the Europa League and a top-four finish four months ago, after all. But Villa’s dismal start to the season, which followed a cataclysmic summer, simply cannot pass without a mention.

Fans feared that losing six of the 11 players that started their European final win in Istanbul would hurt the club, and those fears seem to have been realised after just four points in their first five games. Their first-half thrashing at Brighton on the opening day was up there with the worst start in Premier League history.

However, it feels like the clouds are beginning to part after capitalising on Tottenham’s own troubles (more on that later) to get their first league win at the weekend. It would be ridiculous if the board did not trust Emery to drag them out of this ditch at present – you imagine his sacking would only come if losses pile up for another few months, so he is not immediately in danger.

6. Oliver Glasner – 10/1

Nottingham Forest haven’t started particularly awfully under former Crystal Palace boss Glasner, but they haven’t lit the world alight either. Back-to-back defeats to Leeds in the league and the cup stung, and while they have taken points off Liverpool, Tottenham and Aston Villa – three teams with their own problems – Saturday’s home loss to previously pointless Coventry was slightly humiliating.

In a lot of other jobs, Glasner would have little to worry about – but this is Forest. Volatile owner Evangelos Marinakis has no problem cutting ties early if his lofty expectations aren’t being satisfied. And given his reportedly eye-watering salary, which makes the Austrian one of the most expensive in the league, mid-to-bottom-table might not cut the mustard.

5. Frank Lampard – 8/1

Lampard might be higher on this list had he not overseen a first win of the season at the City Ground heading into the international break. Still, a few months after topping the Championship and restoring Coventry’s top-flight status, his job is at risk.

Four losses, 10 goals shipped and not a single goal scored, before the past weekend. They now have a single goal scored courtesy of Jay Dasilva’s winner in Nottingham. But whereas Hull City and even Ipswich have shown strong signs that they can survive this year, the Sky Blues already look destined for the drop.

The goodwill that came from a historic promotion is could fade fast if “Super Frank” can’t build on his first three points.

4. Pierre Sage – 5/1

The manager merry-go-round that was sparked by Glasner’s exit hasn’t worked wonders for either team involved thus far. Former Lens boss Sage has experienced an up-and-down start to life at Selhurst Park, losing his first two before succumbing to a bruising, late home defeat to new boys Ipswich.

Yes, there was a win at struggling Fulham in the midst of all that (again, more on them in a bit), and they started their Carabao Cup and Europa League campaigns with convincing victories. But in the league, Sage hasn’t done a great deal to inspire much confidence into fans. Without a real upturn in results, he’s one you can imagine getting the axe by Christmas and returning to France to guide one of its big-ish clubs into Europe.

Personally, I’d like to see him stick around just in case of a scenario where Palace breach financial regulations, purely so I can call him “PSR-ge” (it sounds better spoken than it looks written). Sorry.

3. Alvaro Arbeloa 9/2

Speaking of Fulham’s struggles, Alvaro Arbeloa is stuttering his bid to turn the Cottagers into London’s best Real Madrid tribute act.

The Spaniard arrived in the dugout and immediately turned his recruitment drive towards his former club, signing three of his favourites from Castilla before the transfer window’s close: Gonzalo Garcia, Cesar Palacios and Manuel Angel. This seemed to irk the dressing room, with Alex Iwobi, Emile Smith Rowe and Kevin going cryptic with their social media behaviour.

Talk of the Marco Silva contingent not taking well to their new boss wasn’t helped by early results. Three league losses on the trot would have probably had him top of this list two or so weeks ago, but draws to Liverpool and Man United have slightly eased the pressure.

Nevertheless, unlike the others mentioned so far, we are at a point where a couple more bad results could be fatal for Arbeloa’s tenure, especially if the speculation of division has substance.

2. Michael Carrick – 5/2

Manchester United are back in crisis. And we’ve seen this story before.

Carrick’s failure to start to season well is very much resemblant of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer – another legend who, initially in a caretaker role, steered the ship so successfully that he was entrusted with the permanent position. That, again, has seemingly backfired, with United having just one win to their name this season.

They’ve been stunned by Hull, held by Everton and Fulham, and knocked out of the Carabao Cup in humiliating fashion to Brighton. The only slither of sympathy you can have for Carrick’s situation is the fact his Manchester derby defeat came courtesy of a wrongly-awarded Erling Haaland goal – but even then, blame lies at the manager’s door after United completely failed to take advantage of their extra man, which they had for 70 minutes.

United were tipped to challenge for the title this season. Instead, it looks like another rebuild job at Old Trafford, and Carrick may no longer be seen as the right man to do it.

1. Roberto De Zerbi – 2/1

There could be no other in top spot. Every other manager on this list feels at risk of dismissal, but it would admittedly be a surprise if they were fired during this international break. De Zerbi, however, could be canned in the next few days – and it would be justified.

After spending over £300m on a squad overhaul in the summer, injecting funds into a team that escaped the drop by the skin of their teeth, Spurs sit rock bottom and winless in five games. They were goalless in four games. It is relegation form from a team that has finished 17th in the past two seasons; why are we still surprised?

Defeat on the weekend to Villa, who as previously mentioned have also been distinctly out of form, may be the final straw. They lost 3-2 but only thanks to a fightback that proved far too late – they were 3-0 down with five minutes to play.

And for all the talk of money, the only thing saving De Zerbi at this point might be the funds it would take to terminate his contract. In order to convince him to take the job last season and risk being the man to get Tottenham relegated, the club had to pay him an extortionate amount. He is contracted for five years – if they sack him now, it will surely cost them.

Still, as things stand, we are on a collision course towards another battle for survive in N17. Same old Spurs.

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