The EPL Sack Race betting markets reacted rapidly to Manchester United’s heavy 5-0 loss at Old Trafford against Liverpool on Sunday, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer slashed into 1/4 to be the next Premier League Manager To Go* (odds recorded at 20:57 GMT on October 24th at Betfair).
With little surprise, punters were quick to jump on backing Solskjaer to be the next Premier League manager to be out of a job. There is no ducking away from that kind of result.
Next Premier League Manager To Go
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer 1/4
Daniel Farke 9/2
Dean Smith 8/1
Claudio Ranieri 14/1
25/1 bar
* (odds recorded at 20:57 GMT on October 24th at Betfair)
United’s struggles continue
It’s not as if the overall form of Manchester United had been great before Sunday’s nightmare performance.
Across all competitions, Manchester United are W3 D1 L5 in their last nine fixtures.
In each of the three victories in the sequence, the Red Devils were rescued by a late Cristiano Ronaldo winner after having fallen behind in the matches.
During that sequence, they have been beaten by Young Boys in the Champions League and knocked out of the EFL Cup by West Ham.
They have also gone winless in four Premier League fixtures (D1 L3).
Premier League Top 4 Finish Odds
Man City 1/100
Chelsea 1/25
Liverpool 1.20
Man Utd 4/6
Arsenal 5/1
Tottenham 9/2
Leicester 7/1
West Ham 8/1
20/1 bar
* (odds recorded at 20:57 GMT on October 24th at Betfair).
United’s defence fails them
The defensive frailties have shown up big time for United in the campaign getting us to this position in the EPL sack race.
They have not kept a clean sheet in any competition since beating Wolves 1-0 at the end of August.
From early on in Sunday’s fixture Liverpool were cutting them open at the back with some ease.
Just as Leicester had done to United in their previous league fixture, in which the Foxes ran out 4-2 winners against United.
Sunday’s defeat leaves Manchester United eight points behind current league leaders Chelsea. It’s been nine goals conceded by Solksjaer’s men in their last two Premier League fixtures.
Squad not performing?
When Cristiano Ronaldo and Jadon Sancho arrived in the summer there was a lot of talk about Manchester United being title contenders in the Premier League.
As it stands they are a quote of 66/1 to pull that off* (odds recorded at 20:57 GMT on October 24th at Betfair).
There haven’t been the performances from Bruno Fernandes that there was last season, summer signing Jadon Sancho has struggled badly since joining, Paul Pogba continues to disappear in fixtures and the main centre half Harry Maguire has looked dreadful on his return.
Those are just some of the criticisms that have been thrown United’s way during this poor run of form. Has Solskjaer lost the dressing room?
Other notable mentions in the EPL sack race
The fallout from Manchester United’s loss on the weekend will rumble on. Will that be the final match that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has in charge of the Red Devils?
There are, of course, other Premier League managers who are under pressure.
Norwich’s Daniel Farke oversaw a tame 7-0 drubbing by Chelsea on the weekend.
The Canaries looked well off the pace, short of quality and most worryingly of all, without spirit.
Norwich have won only one point all season. The club have stuck with Farke since the previous Premier League relegation season and that was rewarded with him getting them straight back up. But Norwich look to be lacking some fight on the pitch.
A change in the dressing room could help fix that.
Burnley’s Sean Dyche is another manager looking for his first win of the season and has to be feeling the heat.
So too Marcelo Bielsa at Leeds as they have taken just one league victory all season.
Aston Villa’s Dean Smith is in single figures but looks the most unlikely of those mentioned to be the next to get the push.
