Roberto Martinez and Steve Bruce treading nervously in the Premier League Sack Race

by/ 05 January 2015, 09:41

After a surprisingly muted opening four-and-a-half-months the infamously frenzied Premier League Sack Race has exploded into life since Christmas following the departures of Neil Warnock, Alan Irvine and Alan Pardew. However, the action is unlikely to end there, with a number of managers patrolling their dugout in a nervous fashion, including the likes of Roberto Martinez, Steve Bruce, Gus Poyet, Nigel Pearson and Harry Redknapp, while pressure is never too far away from the shoulders of Brendan Rodgers and Paul Lambert.

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Barely no one would have predicted that Martinez would be the joint 5/1 favourite (Sky Bet) for the chop at this stage in the season. Last term the Everton boss won numerous plaudits for leading the Toffees to an impressive 5th place finish - and subsequent Europa League qualification - with a club record Premier League points tally (72).

In contrast the current campaign has been very disappointing, with the Merseyside club struggling to juggle their latest European adventure with their domestic duties. As a result they have sunk down to 13th, and within just four points of the relegation zone, while they have already accumulated more league defeats (9) than the whole of the previous crusade (8).

Chairman Bill Kenwright is famously both loyal and patient, but even he will start to worry if Everton suffer their fifth consecutive defeat on Tuesday when they face West Ham in the FA Cup. Next up in the league? Champions Man City on Saturday...

Hull gaffer Steve Bruce has also been handed odds of 5/1 to be the next top-flight boss to lose his job. The Tigers incumbent, who has ruled himself out of the running for the Newcastle Job, has endured a difficult season at the KC Stadium, although results have improved of late, with the Yorkshire club registering two wins from their last three league games, which has subsequently moved them up to 15th. However, they are only two points above the relegation zone, meaning Bruce remains under the cosh.

At 8/1 you will find Sunderland's Gus Poyet and Leicester City's Nigel Pearson, while QPR manager Harry Redknapp has been dragged back into the mix at 9/1 following a difficult few weeks, which includes an embarrassing 3-0 defeat at home to Sheffield United in the FA Cup. Elsewhere Brendan Rodgers is hovering around the 10/1 mark, whereas Paul Lambert could be worth checking out at 12/1.

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