Next Manager to Leave Odds: Southampton's Martin 4/5 to win five-way sack race | OneFootball

English Premier League

Saints' Martin is the odds-on favourite to lose his job before any other Premier League manager

Southampton's Russell Martin is the favourite in the Betfair Sportsbook next manager to leave market but, with a handful of managers in potential peril, the sack race looks wide open...

Southampton manager Russell Martin is the 4/5 favourite to be the first Premier League boss to lose his job this season.

His side sit 19th in the table after eight matches with just one point on the board. Martin has been criticised for refusing to sacrifice tactical principles and adopt a more robust approach to matches. On Saturday his side surrendered a two-goal lead to lose 3-2 at home to fellow promoted Leicester.

Martin was backed at 14/1 in the first half of September by 34 punters who stand to win big if the St Mary's chiefs decide to ditch their manager.

But Martin is not the only one under pressure. Wolves have also taken a solitary point from their eight matches and sit below Saints on goal difference.

The Old Gold's manager Gary O'Neil, however, is 4/1 to become the next Premier League manager to leave. He was 20/1 at the start of the season so there are plenty of punters backing him for the chop.

Factors in O'Neil still being as long as 4/1 could be the perception that he has credit in the bank after a good first season at the club - or, as some critics may point out, a good first-half of the first season - and the fact that his team have come close to taking points from both Liverpool and, more recently, Manchester City.

Wolves look like they may be about to come good. Still, football is about results and if the team doesn't put points on the board soon it will be the end of O'Neil.

Ten Hag 3/1 before sack race derby against Lopetegui

Erik ten Hag is the 3/1 second favourite to become the first Premier League manager to leave this season after Manchester United's come-from-behind 2-1 win over Brentford on Saturday. Before the international break he was the odds-on favourite in this market.

The appointment of Thomas Tuchel as England manager may have helped Ten Hag's chances of keeping his job as the German was believed by many to be the Dutchman's likely successor. Make no mistake, though, Ten Hag must improve United's league position of 12 immediately or he will be dismissed.

The Red Devils go to West Ham this Sunday for a sack race derby. Julen Lopetegui is 9/1 but West Ham are 15th in the Premier League and were walloped 4-1 by Tottenham at the weekend.

The odds suggest Lop is not set for the copy. However, the Spaniard was 22/1 in this market at the start of the campaign, so some bettors clearly think he's on borrowed time.

He was expected to bring attractive football and build on David Moyes' achievements in east London but, so far, the Hammers have gone backwards, with just two wins in the league.

One of those victories came against Crystal Palace who have bafflingly bad this term. Oliver Glasner has shortened from 25/1 in the past month to 8/1 and the Eagles are in the relegation zone.

That's surprising after he impressed when he succeeded Roy Hodgson mid-campaign last season. Palace play Tottenham at the weekend and, another London defeat to go with last night's loss to Nottingham Forest, could pile the pressure on the German.