As we reach the Premier League winter break, the pressure is building on clubs that are underperforming. For some of these clubs, failure to perform on the pitch can be the difference between a successful season or a trophyless one – but for others, relegation is on the line. Managers, players and most importantly fans will be hoping for fewer disruptions to the season as we get closer to the end.
Managers Steve Bruce (Newcastle) and Xisco Munoz (Watford) were early casualties after poor starts to the season, despite the latter being responsible for leading Watford to promotion from the Championship in 2020-21. Meanwhile, former Sunderland man Steve Bruce – who was an already unpopular appointment under the previous Mike Ashley era – lasted only 13 days under the new Newcastle ownership of Amanda Staveley and Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia.
Nuno Espírito Santo (Tottenham), Daniel Farke (Norwich), and Dean Smith (Aston Villa) all followed after their former employers decided it was time to make a change at each of the respective clubs. They were replaced with Antonio Conte (Tottenham), Dean Smith himself (Norwich), and former Liverpool FC man Steven Gerrard (Aston Villa).
Perhaps the most notable of the sackings so far was the end of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer era at Manchester United. A poor run of results, and even worse performances, saw Ole’s Reds succumb to back-to-back embarrassing results at the hands of fierce rivals Liverpool FC and Manchester City. Surprisingly, Ole managed to hang in a little longer, but a 4-1 defeat to an underperforming Watford side saw Ole have his licence to be at the Manchester United wheel revoked.
Watford and Everton Latest To Sack Their Managers
The latest clubs to part ways with their managers have been Watford and Everton, following continued poor form over the festive period.
Rafa Benítez’s Everton appointment was unpopular from the off, with lots of supporters unhappy with the ex-Liverpool gaffer being linked in the first place. Supporters expressed their discontent; however, owner Farhad Moshiri and Director of Football Marcel Brands pressed on regardless. A rocky relationship saw a stream of poor performances under Rafa, and things soon turned sour after Benítez was given a pitiful transfer budget to work with and supporters began to direct blame higher up the chain of command.
Marcel Brands was first to be shown the door. And after one win in 13 league games, an FA Cup exit to the hands of Hull City, and a last-minute capitulation to Norwich, the club finally called curtains on Rafa Benitez’s time at the toffees.
Pressure now grows on Chairman Bill Kenwright and owner Moshiri as Everton supporters demand progress. Former FC Porto and Olympiakos manager Vítor Pereira is rumoured to have been interviewed, however, Pereira would arrive following an underwhelming six months in charge of Turkish giants Fenerbahce. Ex-Toffee and local lad Wayne Rooney has also been linked.
Watford, with one managerial change just not enough for them, became the first club this season to dismiss two managers this season. Claudio Ranieri’s 13 game tenure came to a whimpering end following a 3-0 drubbing at the hands of a rejuvenated Norwich City side.
The change perhaps comes with not quite as much surprise as if it were any club besides Watford, with the Pozzo family having now made an eye-watering 14 managerial appointments in less than 10 years. With stability certainly not something that is familiar territory at the Hornets, it is somewhat eyebrow-raising that the ever-reliable Roy Hodgson is to be the man to take over. His tenure will run till the end of the season following a break from management after success with Crystal Palace. Check out the odds on Roy Hodgson to win his first match in charge of the Hornets.
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Awkward Encounters
Roy Hodgson has agreed to become the new Watford manager until the end of the season, however, he may have to build a few bridges upon his arrival.
The appointment will see Hodgson reunited with none other than Harry the Hornet following the Mascots tongue in cheek attempts to entertain the Watford fans. Roy will no doubt look back at his hilarious press conference with a grimace after he called out his soon-to-be supporting act as “disgraceful”, following Harry the Hornet’s mocking of his then Crystal Palace frontman Wilfried Zaha.
Could Bet365 have to open a new market on odds for the first club mascot to be sent off? Who knows…
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Managers Under Pressure
Three managers that will be nervously looking over their shoulder following exits at Watford and Everton will be Sean Dyche, Mikel Arteta, and Thomas Tuchel.
Sean Dyche sees his Burnley team bottom of the pile in the Premier League so far this season and is facing a momentous challenge to save the clarets from relegation. This task is undoubtedly made more difficult by the unusual sale of forward Chris Wood to relegation rivals Newcastle.
With just the one win this season so far, Dyche may have Covid to thank after a multitude of fixture postponements has seen his team play just 18 league games this season. Arguably, the winter break provides an opportunity for Burnley to hit the reset button. With the magic 30 points usually the benchmark for survival, can Sean Dyche carry his men over the line as Bet365 offer 6-4 for the Clarets to survive the chop?
Pressure has also been slowly building around Arsenal gaffer Mikel Arteta as fans begin to demand progress following their shock FA Cup exit at the hands of Championship Nottingham Forest. Arteta has been given backing by both the club and the fans recently, however, he must begin to deliver on promises.
The former Barcelona, Everton and Arsenal midfielder has done well to show faith in youth after previous success within Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City backroom staff. Despite this, senior players such as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Granit Xhaka continue to let him down. Their Carabao Cup Semi-Final exit to Liverpool provided another reality check after the latter was clumsily sent off, leaving Mikel Arteta’s side knocked out of both domestic cup competitions before February.
Last weekend’s win at Spurs ends a particularly poor run of form for Thomas Tuchel’s Chelsea side, who have found themselves under some self-inflicted pressure following a winless run.
This coincides with the handling of Romelu Lukaku’s controversial comments that seem to have unsettled the team’s form, seeing them slide out of the title race over the festive fixtures. With Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich with a notable record of sacking trophyless managers, Tuchel will not be resting on last years Champions League win for any form of job security. He’ll be looking to the Carabao Cup final versus Liverpool at the end of February to springboard their season after a slump.
