Premier League managerial changes this season ranked as Chelsea wield axe again
With Brendan Rodgers and Graham Potter both departing Leicester and Chelsea on Sunday, the Premier League has now moved into record-breaking territory.
Across the English top-flight this term, there have been 13 separate managerial changes in the division with clubs desperately scrambling to achieve their respective targets. A number of clubs are involved in the battle to avoid relegation to the Championship, whilst bigger clubs are enduring awful campaigns and have been forced into managerial changes.
Some decisions have certainly worked better than others and Mirror Football has ranked how those sackings and hirings have fared since the clubs involved elected to pull the trigger.
1. Steven Gerrard for Unai Emery
Arguably the best managerial change of the season, Aston Villa were firmly involved in the relegation mire under Steven Gerrard. They had won just two league games before the decision was made to jettison the Liverpool icon.
Just three days after his exit, Villa made a move for former Arsenal and Villarreal boss Unai Emery. The Spaniard has enjoyed a brilliant impact in the Midlands since. He has won nine of his 17 games in charge in all competitions and Villa now look assured of their place in the Premier League next term.
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Unai Emery has impressed since replacing Steven Gerrard (Getty Images)Did Chelsea make the right decision to sack Graham Potter? Share your thoughts in the comments below
2. Graham Potter for Roberto De Zerbi
After an impressive start to the campaign, Brighton fans were left concerned after Potter was poached by Chelsea. They needn't have worried though as his replacement - Italian boss Roberto De Zerbi - is arguably doing an even better job.
The former Shakhtar Donetsk and Sassuolo boss has the Seagulls soaring up in sixth having won exactly half of his games in charge so far. Should they continue that momentum then the south coast club have a more than realistic chance of earning their first-ever season in European competition next term.
3. Bruno Lage for Julen Lopetegui
From one relegation candidate to another now, Spanish coach Julen Lopetegui has been in charge at Wolves since replacing Bruno Lage back in December. He has managed to lead the Midlands club away from the drop zone with five wins in 14 Premier League matches.
A 3-0 win over Liverpool is among his highlights so far, whilst Wolves also managed to overcome Tottenham last month. Despite the upturn, they still remain only two points clear of the relegation zone so will be hoping that Lopetegui can seal a few more crucial wins between now and the end of the campaign.
4. Frank Lampard for Sean Dyche
Following a horrendous start to the season, it was somewhat of a surprise to see Everton take until January to sever ties with Frank Lampard. He was sacked after a run of five defeats in six games that left the Merseyside club marooned in the relegation zone.
After his exit, they turned to former Burnley man Sean Dyche in an effort to stave off the threat of relegation. Whilst things haven’t been perfect at Goodison Park since then, three wins in Dyche’s opening eight games in charge is enough reason to be positive.
He enjoyed an immediate impact by inspiring Everton to a 1-0 win over current league leaders Arsenal in his first game in charge.
Frank Lampard was sacked by Everton in January (Getty Images)5. Nathan Jones for Ruben Selles
Southampton ’s second managerial change of the season, Welshman Nathan Jones endured a nightmare spell on the South Coast after his arrival from Luton. Of the eight Premier League games he oversaw, he lost seven.
That forced the Saints to promote former assistant Selles to the role until the end of the season and he has since managed to secure a couple of vital victories over Chelsea and Leicester.
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A defeat to relegation rivals West Ham has once again put Southampton on the back foot but the decision to put Selles in charge still appears to have been the right one.
6. Jesse Marsch for Javi Gracia
Following a spell with Watford, Leeds thought that Spaniard Javi Gracia would be the man to get them out of relegation trouble. He replaced American Jesse Marsch at the helm and he has enjoyed a bright start in Yorkshire so far.
Wins over relegation rivals Southampton and Wolves have been secured, whilst a point against in-form Brighton was also eye-catching. Leeds’ only defeats in the league under Gracia have come against Chelsea and Arsenal.
Games against Nottingham Forest, Crystal Palace, Bournemouth, Leicester and West Ham are set to come and could give Leeds a perfect chance to escape the threat of relegation.
Jesse Marsch was sacked by Leeds in favour of Javi Gracia (Getty Images)7. Scott Parker for Gary O’Neil
The first managerial change of the season, Bournemouth elected to end their association with Scott Parker after just four matches of the campaign - one of those being a 9-0 defeat to Liverpool.
It always appeared likely that the Cherries would be towards the bottom and it is tough to give a judgement on his replacement Gary O’Neil based off of that. He impressed enough during his caretaker stint to earn the role permanently.
In 24 Premier League matches, he has six wins to his name - two of those coming in the last three games.
8. Thomas Tuchel for Graham Potter
Potentially one of the most shocking sackings of the season, Chelsea swapped habitual winner Thomas Tuchel for Graham Potter back in September in what represented Todd Boehly’s first managerial change of his Stamford Bridge stint.
He looked likely to be a more long-term option for the Blues but things have not gone the way that anyone would have wanted. The 47-year-old was unceremoniously sacked after just 12 wins from his opening 31 matches in all competitions - just seven of which have come in the Premier League.
The decision to jettison Tuchel on reflection now looks to be the wrong one.
Thomas Tuchel is one of two managers to be sacked by Chelsea this season (Getty Images)9. Ralph Hasenhuttl for Nathan Jones
Arguably among the poorest managerial appointments in the history of the Premier League, former Stoke and Luton boss Jones was handed a three-and-a-half year deal back in November. Things could really have not gone much worse for the Welshman.
A run of seven defeats in eight Premier League matches marked a dreadful stint at the helm at St Mary’s, whilst Jones’ bizarre post-match outbursts were a feature of his dire spell in charge. Southampton’s decision to appoint him is with no doubt the worst in the Premier League this season.
10. Patrick Vieira for Roy Hodgson
Crystal Palace’s call to sack Patrick Vieira for the returning Roy Hodgson had plenty scratching their heads. The veteran manager managed to silence the doubters at the weekend with a last-minute victory over Leicester.
It represented the Eagles’ first success of 2023 and their first at home since October. Despite that dream start, it is still slightly too early to say whether it was the correct decision to bring Hodgson back or not.
11. Antonio Conte for Cristian Stellini
Despite sitting in the top four, Spurs were backed into a corner regarding the future of Antonio Conte following his extraordinary outburst following the 3-3 draw against Southampton.
The Italian tore into his own players, as well as the club hierarchy in North London - something that did not go down well with Daniel Levy. He was sacked during the international break and replaced by his no.2 Cristian Stellini.
The latter takes his first game since Conte’s permanent departure on Monday against Everton.
Antonio Conte was let go by Spurs during the international break (Getty Images)-12. Brendan Rodgers
Following a dire season for Leicester, the Foxes’ board elected for a change following the defeat to Crystal Palace. Brendan Rodgers’ four-year spell at the King Power Stadium was brought to an end and it remains to be seen who will be appointed as his replacement.
The Northern Irishman had won the FA Cup and led Leicester to two fifth-placed finishes but leaves the club languishing in 19th in the top flight.
-12. Graham Potter
The second Premier League manager to lose his job on what was a bruising Sunday, Potter’s spell at Chelsea was brought to an end after just six months. He had failed to lift the Blues and departs with them in them in 11th after just 12 wins in 31 matches in all competitions.
A number of names including Julien Nagelsmann and Marco Silva have all been mentioned as potential successors. For the time being though, it is certainly too early to tell if the decision to sack Potter was the right one.
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