Heading into the 2025/26 Premier League season, absolutely nobody thought Liverpool manager Arne Slot would be under any pressure at all. The Dutch manager led the Reds to the title in dominant fashion last term, finishing ten points clear of second-placed Arsenal and dispelling any fears of a miserable transition period following Jurgen Klopp's departure. However, in recent weeks, the dreams of a second straight title triumph are seemingly already up in smoke.
Arne Slot's Misery
Throughout October, Liverpool suffered four straight Premier League losses, results that left them trailing in the wake of Mikel Arteta's Gunners. Victories over Aston Villa and Real Madrid seemingly put the Reds back on the title-contending course, but the recent 3-0 drubbing at the hands of Manchester City has ramped up even more pressure on Slot.
It wasn't just the defeat, but more the manner of it, with the Merseysiders being sliced upon time and again, which has the Anfield faithful worried. Online betting sites are also concerned. The latest sports betting odds now make Liverpool a lengthy 9/1 outsider in the title race, well behind 4/6 favourites Arsenal and 9/4 contenders Manchester City. But if that wasn't bad enough, boss Slot is also now the 18/1 fifth favourite to be the next Premier League manager sacked.
So, with the pressure mounting, who are the four managers ahead of the Dutchman in the Premier League's daunting sack race? Let's take a look.
Daniel Farke
Leeds United boss Daniel Farke was brought to West Yorkshire with the sole task of getting the club from the Championship. The task took him two seasons, but he ultimately got the job done last term, winning the second-tier title in blistering fashion. This season, however, alarm bells are already ringing.
Despite a summer spending spree that included deals for Noah Okafor, Lukas Nmecha, and Sean Longstaff, the Whites are struggling to mount any consistent run. They have won just three games so far this term, with four losses in their last five, leaving them just one point above the relegation zone. As such, the Elland Road faithful have grown impatient, and the German manager is now the odds-on favourite to suffer the dreaded axe.
Eddie Howe
Perhaps somewhat surprisingly, Newcastle manager Eddie Howe's head is also thought to be on the chopping block. The Englishman has done a stellar job since taking over on Tyneside back in the autumn of 2021. He led the club away from the relegation zone in his first campaign in charge, before delivering Champions League football twice across the following three seasons. However, an inconsistent start to this season has some thinking that the Magpies' Saudi owners could begin to grow impatient.
The Toon Army endured a miserable summer transfer window, missing out on a slew of top transfer targets, as well as losing star striker Alexander Isak to Liverpool after a bitter saga. The Swede's replacement, Nick Woltemade, has hit the ground running, but Newcastle have been unable to string together a run of results that would see them climb the Premier League table.
Toothless back-to-back away defeats at West Ham and Brentford have seen the Magpies slump to 14th in the table, already seven points behind the pace of the top four. Should results not pick up in the immediate future, pressure on Howe could grow even further.
Scott Parker
Burnley boss Scott Parker is another who's coming under fire. Much like Farke at Leeds, the former England international midfielder led the Clarets to promotion last term, conceding just 16 goals throughout the 46-game season. This year, however, that water-tight defence is no more.
The Lancashire outfit has conceded 22 goals in 11 games so far this term, the third most of anybody in the entire Premier League. Back-to-back victories against Leeds and Wolves did alleviate some pressure, but two straight defeats to Arsenal and relegation-threatened West Ham have plunged both Burnley and their manager, Parker, back into immediate danger.
Marco Silva
Portuguese manager Marco Silva has done a stellar job in charge of Fulham. Since his appointment in the summer of 2021, the 48-year-old has managed to secure promotion to the Premier League in his maiden campaign before going on to establish the Cottagers as a solid midtable club. The West Londoners haven't finished lower than 13th in their three seasons back in the top flight, building a strong squad led by the likes of Alex Iwobi and Emile Smith-Rowe.
This term, though, Fulham are already down in 15th place, and with testing clashes against Spurs and Manchester City looming on the horizon, things could get worse before they get better. If Silva loses to those two resident 'Big Six' representatives, then pressure could mount even further.
