The 2021/2022 English Premier League season is getting hotter by the day as we head into the November international break after interesting weekend fixtures. Liverpool’s unbeaten run came to an end against West Ham, as they were defeated by a 3-2 scoreline.
Arsenal on the other hand ascended the table to the 5th position after recording a 1-0 home victory over the newly-promoted side; Watford.
Managers such as Mikel Arteta have turned the season around after a horrible start in their first three fixtures. They are currently unbeaten in ten games across all competitions. However, other managers such as Nuno Espirito Santo, Steve Bruce, Daniel Farke, and Xisco Munoz have been shown the exit door following a poor run of games. Two days ago, we witnessed another manager; Dean Smith of Aston Villa relieved of his job.
Dean Smith has been in charge of the club since 2018 and was at the helm of affairs when Aston Villa gained promotion to the Premier League in 2019. Aston Villa was a team to beat last season as they finished in the 11th position with 15 clean sheets. But getting into the current season, they have lost that sharpness especially with the departure of Jack Grealish to Man City in £100m.
They are currently in the 16th position with just two points away from the bottom three. Having said that, let’s quickly have a look at the top four managers that could face sack in the coming weeks or months. Kindly note that these Managers are selected based on their team’s performance so far in the current season. The ranking is also subject to constructive criticism.
- Marcelo Bielsa ‘ Leeds United ‘
During the summer transfer window, Marcelo Bielsa signed a contract extension with Leeds United that will see him stay at the club until June 2022 following a fantastic campaign last season. The former Lille manager was once tipped to take over the reins at FC Barcelona due to his level of intelligence in the sport. He was able to bring in the young talented Firpo Junior in a bid to bolster his squad.
However, this season hasn’t gone well for the manager, with Leeds United recording just one win in their last seven matches in the Premier League. They played out a 1-1 with Brendan Rodgers Leicester City at the Elland Road after his team lost a 1-0 lead courtesy of Harvey Barnes’s thunderous strike from outside the box. Currently, they sit in the 15th position, three points from the relegation zone. If Marcelo Bielsa fails to turn things around soonest, the club might be forced to part ways with the tactician.
3. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer ‘ Manchester United ‘
Solskjaer is one of the most under-fire managers for the past few weeks following a poor run of games. He has come under serious criticism with fans protesting for his sack daily. He has guided Manchester United to one of their worst starts to the season, recording just one win in their last five matches. They have also suffered a heavy defeat against Liverpool and Leicester City. Their recent derby loss was one of the most embarrassing derbies Man United has ever played. However, despite all this, the board seems to be backing him fully and as much as the fans want him out, the management decision is paramount.
2. Rafa Benitez ‘ Everton ‘
Rafa Benitez started the season pretty well, winning four matches, drawing one, and losing one. Later on, they played a draw against Manchester United but along the line, everything had a twist. Everton went on to gather just two points in their last five matches and lost three consecutive games against West Ham, Watford, and Wolves United in the process. Such decline in form is unacceptable for a top team like Everton with the array of stars at his disposal. The sooner he changes things around, the better for him. They are currently in the 11th position with 15 points, which is about 7points away from the relegation zone.
1. Thomas Frank ‘Brentford FC ‘
Brentford started the season as one of the favorites amongst the newly promoted sides judging by their superb performance against Arsenal in the opening fixture. They are known to play interesting football with great stride and resilience. Their best renditions are usually against the top teams but unfortunately, they seem to botch against the lower teams. They are without a win in their last four EPL matches and losing against Norwich City which further shows how much they’ve dropped in form. Frank must therefore save the situation at the club or else, he could be shown the door.
Nwachineke Onyeke Chekwube reporting, Obinwannem news writer/November 9, 2021
