Premier League Sack Race: Are Farke and Nuno better bets than Solskjaer?

Nuno wasn’t Daniel Levy’s first choice for the job. As such, Nuno can never be more than a couple of bad results from jeopardy. At 14/1, he’s a big price.

There’s no place for loyalty in the cut-throat world of modern football, the board members of top clubs are not sentimental people and a manager is only as good as their last result, right?

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s continuing reign as Manchester United manager suggests otherwise.

According to reports today, the Norwegian has the backing of senior figures at Old Trafford, including Sir Alex Ferguson, even though United were walloped 5-0 at home to Liverpool on Sunday.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is expected to remain in charge as #MUFC manager despite their heavy defeat at the hands of Liverpool

? Sky Sports (@SkySports) October 26, 2021

Apparently, they think Solskjaer deserves the chance to turn results around and he will almost certainly remain in charge for this Saturday’s trip to Tottenham – a match where United are 2.447/5 favourites in the match odds betting. Solskjaer’s achievements as a player, and the affection for him at the club, means he is keeping his job when any other manager would have been fired.

Nuno v Ole in Saturday sack race derby

Solskjaer is still 1/5 to be the next Premier League manage to leave and, if United lose at Spurs on Saturday, it is difficult to envisage him getting another chance. But victory would buy him more time and could mean that there are better bets in the market.

Let’s start with the man who’ll be in the opposing dugout on Saturday, Nuno Espirito Santo. His Spurs team were beaten by West Ham on Sunday and face a tricky League Cup tie away at Burnley in midweek.

Unlike Solskjaer, Nuno does not have an enduring bond with his club. The Portuguese was by no means chairman Daniel Levy’s first choice for the job in the summer. As such, Nuno can never be more than a couple of bad results from jeopardy. At 14/1, he’s a big price.

Norwich to ditch Farke?

Norwich boss Daniel Farke 5/1 follows Solskjaer in the betting. The Canaries are yet to win, sit bottom of the league and are 1.171/6 for relegation. Oh and they were pummelled 7-0 at Chelsea on Saturday.

Norwich were loyal to Farke last time they were relegated. The club generally takes a longview of development and won’t be hasty. But they were supposed to be better prepared for the top flight this time, so expectations are higher. In such disastrous form, with only two goals scored, they may decide enough is enough, so that a potential successor has time to try to keep them up.

It seems harsh to discuss Claudio Ranieri 11/1, after his Watford team won 5-2 at Everton on Saturday, but the Hornets board is arguably the most ruthless in the top flight. Lose a few matches in a row and you’re out of Vicarage Road. They have shown before that they think nothing of sacking more than one manager in a season.

Bielsa’s reign to blow up?

Aston Villa manager Dean Smith is 13/1 and, with the team in 13th place, you’d think results would need to take a serious nosedive before he was in trouble. Mikel Arteta’s 17/1 Arsenal are on a good run at the moment but we’ve seen them go backwards in the past.

And what is happening to Leeds United? Marcelo Bielsa 14/1 has credit in the bank, after all he’s achieved at the club, but the Whites are only three points outside the dropzone after winning just once in their opening nine league matches. The fiery Argentine is a proud man and, if he thinks his methods are failing, it’s not impossible that he could walk away.

Southampton also have just the solitary win but their manager Ralph Hassenhutl is as long as 20/1.

Patrick Vieira was once the favourite in the market but he has arguably exceeded expectations as Crystal Palace manager and odds of 40/1 look a fair representation of his chance of being next man out.

Loyalty is a luxury that few Premier League clubs can afford. United may be an exception when it comes to Solskjaer and it’s also possible that they are mindful of the challenges involved in making a change midseason. For that reason, there are plenty of top-flight bosses who could be worth backing to leave before the Norwegian.