Premier League manager safety rankings after double sacking with Pep Guardiola under pressure - The Mirror

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola leads the Premier League managers facing scrutiny after Manchester United condemned his side to an eighth defeat in their last 11 games

Sacking season is upon us after Gary O'Neil and Russell Martin were both axed by Wolves and Southampton on Sunday.

The pressure is rising at a crucial point of the Premier League season as we enter the festive period and clubs are already beginning to pull the trigger with four managers now given their marching orders by the midway point.

There's also a handful of other managers under fire. Pep Guardiola's Manchester City suffered an eighth defeat in 11 games after their late 2-1 loss against rivals Manchester United, while Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou and West Ham's Julen Lopetegui have also faced poor results.

Here, Mirror Football breaks down which managers are safe and whose head could soon be on the chopping board.

Beyond question

Arne Slot is doing an exceptional job in his first season at Liverpool and looks set to get the Reds very close to winning the title, barring an absolute disaster in the latter end to the campaign.

There is no doubt Liverpool have recruited one of the football's best coaches to replace Jurgen Klopp, which was no easy feat in itself after the German's stellar achievements at Anfield.

Mikel Arteta is another household name at Arsenal that is untouchable given the work he has done at the Emirates, despite his failure to earn the club's first Premier League title since 2003-04.

Aston Villa, meanwhile, would be fools to ever think of dispensing with Unai Emery in the near future after taking the club from relegation candidates to the Champions League.

He's continuing that work this season with the club in sixth place in the league and fifth in the Champions League standings after four wins in Europe.

Safe as houses

Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca is enjoying a fantastic start at Stamford Bridge after surprisingly leading the club to second in the table.

The Blues have emerged as genuine contenders to battle Liverpool to the title with some impressive and consistent form that has seen them win seven games in all competitions. Things can change quickly at Chelsea but Maresca should have the backing of the board for a long while.

Nuno Espirito Santo's luck has changed dramatically at Nottingham Forest with his club fourth in the table and his players must be pinching themselves after narrowly surviving relegation last year.

The ex-Tottenham boss is doing an incredible job at the City Ground as his side do the unthinkable and challenge for Champions League.

Ruben Amorim is also a manager who should have safety for a long time after just being appointed by Manchester United and overseeing four wins from seven games - including that superb win over City.

Bournemouth's amazing season under Andoni Iraola should also give him the same status as the Cherries continue their surge up the table, with his side seventh and only four points off the top four.

Who do you think will be the next to get the sack? Let us know in the comments below!

Secure, for now

There's a number of managers who appear to be in a secure position but risk seeing their positions come under threat if results change significantly in the coming months. One of those bosses is Pep Guardiola, whose City side have won once in ten matches.

The Spaniard is City's greatest ever manager but is enduring a crisis with the club who he won the treble with just a couple of seasons ago.

He only just signed a new two-year deal last month but it's not impossible the club could opt to make a change if the team's plight hits new depths in the coming months.

Fulham boss Marco Silva has done a solid job at Craven Cottage but given his pedigree - having been sacked twice in the past from Premier League jobs - we know things can change quickly.

Brentford boss Thomas Frank, Newcastle head coach Eddie Howe and Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner are in the same territory.

Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna also earns a place in this category because his side are in a relegation battle with only two wins - despite being a highly-rated young coach that the Tractor Boys are unlikely to sack.

Ruud van Nistelrooy might have been in a higher category after only just arriving at Leicester City and earning four points from his first two games. However, after the Foxes lost 4-0 to Newcastle, it's possible the club could have a change of heart later in the season if he can't steer the team away from danger.

Hovering above danger

Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou has been linked with the axe this season after some poor form that has seen the team win three of their last ten matches.

The 5-0 win over Southampton, coupled with a huge injury crisis, should give him more time but we know how trigger happy Daniel Levy can be, with Spurs still 10th in the Premier League table and five points off the top four.

West Ham boss Julen Lopetegui is another who has been under immense pressure with his own supporters even teasing the Spaniard he could be sacked - though he has bought himself some time after two wins in their last four games.

Make no mistake, any more damaging defeats over the Christmas period and he should be on the brink of the axe.

Everton boss Sean Dyche is also under threat despite some positive form that has seen him draw away at Arsenal and thrash Wolves 4-0. However, the Toffees face Chelsea, Manchester City and Forest in their next games, so we'll soon see how loyal the incoming Everton owners are, knowing they'll be desperate to avoid relegation this season.

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