First Premier League boss to be sacked imminently while 4 rivals feel the heat
Some call it the festive period, others call it sacking season.
For only the fifth time in Premier League history, we've reached 14 games without a manager being given the chop. But as the relegation battle begins to take shape, a few heads could well roll between now and 2024.
While newly-promoted Sheffield United, Burnley and Luton are all struggling, it's not just at the bottom of the table where bosses need to be looking over their shoulder, as the top-half scrap to secure European football also heats up.
Here, Mirror Football takes a look at the runners and riders in the Premier League sack race.
Paul Heckingbottom
Starting off with the leading contender, Heckingbottom will do well to still be in a job by the time you're reading this. The Sheffield United manager did a superb job last term to earn promotion from the Championship but saw his squad decimated in the summer transfer window, with the sales of midfield maestro Sander Berge and star striker Iliman Ndiaye sapping early-season confidence.
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The Blades suffered an 8-0 pasting at home to Newcastle in September and a 5-0 hammering away to Arsenal a month later. But their most damning result came on Saturday, as fellow strugglers Burnley gave 10-man Sheffield United another 5-0 thrashing to earn only their second win of the campaign and send Heckingbottom's side bottom. Confirmation of the 46-year-old's departure is expected on Monday and his pointed post-match interview commenting on the Blades' ownership won't do him any favours.
Get involved! Who should Sheffield United appoint as their next manager? Join the debate in the comments section.
Paul Heckingbottom is set for the sack following Sheffield United's 5-0 defeat to Burnley (Matt McNulty/Getty Images)Steve Cooper
Backed by Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis time and time again during his two-year reign, Cooper now seemingly stands closer to the sack than ever before following Saturday's miserable 1-0 loss at home to Everton. Sitting on 13 points, Forest's spate of new signings over the summer have failed to make an impact and their Welsh boss is struggling to find a winning formula.
Without No.9 Taiwo Awoniyi to hang their hopes on, Cooper's men have won just one game in nine and face a crucial run of fixtures before Boxing Day - playing Fulham, Wolves, Tottenham and Bournemouth - which are sure to decide his fate. The former Swansea and England under-17 boss reportedly retained the backing of Marinakis, but that was before Saturday.
Nottingham Forest have continually backed Steve Cooper at decisive moments (MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images)Andoni Iraola
After picking up back-to-back victories over Newcastle and Sheffield United, Bournemouth suffered late heartbreak on Sunday to draw 2-2 with high-flying Aston Villa. Fortunately for Iraola, that result moved them level on points with Forest and six clear of Everton at the top of the relegation zone.
The Spaniard's appointment was a questionable to say the least, with Bournemouth's new owners having gotten rid of Gary O'Neil, the man who did a tremendous job to keep the Cherries in the Premier League last term. But Iraola, who's only 41, is finally beginning to deliver results.
Andoni Iraola has began to pick up results as Bournemouth boss (Robin Jones - AFC Bournemouth/AFC Bournemouth via Getty Images)Roy Hodgson
Despite turning Crystal Palace around aged 75 last season, some Eagles supporters just aren't content with still having Hodgson in charge. Look at the table, though, and Palace sit 12th, comfortably away from the relegation zone and three points off the top half.
Sunday's hard-earned 1-1 draw at West Ham came after a run of four defeats in five games, managing to beat Burnley during that spell. Palace could look to make ambitious appointment midway through the campaign if the Selhust Park crowd continue to moan and groan, but the decision to hand Hodgson a one-year extension suggests that CEO Steve Parish plans to find the veteran's successor at the end of the season.
A 1-1 draw with West Ham showed Crystal Palace are still fighting for Roy Hodgson (Rob Newell - CameraSport via Getty Images)Erik ten Hag
Now to the other end of the table and the biggest story this term: how bad Manchester United are. After 18 months at the helm, Ten Hag made it 10 losses in all competitions on Saturday as Newcastle ran out 1-0 winners - a scoreline which flattered the Red Devils.
The same old debate is raging on in pubs and punditry studios. Is it the players? Is it the manager? Is it the owners? Regardless, it'll be the Dutchman heading out if this dire form continues - unless soon-to-be shareholder Sir Jim Ratcliffe fancies bucking the trend.
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Next up, United host Chelsea and Bournemouth, and then face a defining week on both the European and domestic front. The Red Devils must beat Bayern Munich to stand any chance of reaching the Champions League knockout phase before they travel to Anfield to play Liverpool, where Ten Hag will hope to avenge his side's 7-0 humiliation in March.
Erik ten Hag's Manchester United have now lost 10 games this season (MB Media/Getty Images)The United boss' position isn't understood to be immediate jeopardy, although you could consider him more at risk than some other managers we've omitted here. In-form Everton are unlikely to part with Sean Dyche in the wake of their 10-point deduction, Luton are showing signs of progress under Rob Edwards and Vincent Kompany, at last, has got Burnley banging in the goals.
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