The Sack Race’s 2023/24 Premier League Manager Predictions

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10 August 2023

The Sack Race’s 2023/24 Premier League Manager Predictions

The Sack Race writers give their managerial predictions for the 2023/24 Premier League season

Our band of writers here at BettingOdds have penned their managerial predictions ahead of the new Premier League season.

Remarkably, despite a ball not yet even being kicked, there's already been a top-flight departure after Wolves and Julen Lopetegui parted ways with Gary O'Neil replacing him.

Each of our writers has selected their title-winning manager, plus who they think will be the first in-season managerial departure, as well as their surprise package.

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Premier League Title Winner

Jack Kitson: Pep Guardiola

Pep Guardiola has scooped five league titles in the last six seasons, now the Spaniard has the opportunity to win four in a row, something which the great Sir Alex Ferguson couldn't even manage. Never satisfied and always thirsty for new achievements, Pep will be gunning to surpass last season's stunning treble by winning an unprecedented quadruple. Man City could even be in a chance of winning a quintuple if you're willing to count the FIFA Club World Cup.

Billy Grimshaw: Pep Guardiola

I’m sure I won’t be alone in going with Man City as champions for the fourth season in a row, with only complacency in my eyes able to stop them from achieving this unprecedented feat. It is emblematic of the state of modern football that a club with 115 charges hanging over them are heralded as one of the greatest of all time and more is not made of the fact they won a treble and now could win another set of trophies while their name is tarnished. Never mind though, with Pep having settled on his four centre-backs in defence system and Erling Haaland another year older and more settled in the Premier League, they’ll take all the beating.

Steve Chambers: Pep Guardiola

Man City are red-hot odds-on favourites for Premier League glory and Pep Guardiola's side can storm to domestic success once again. They may have lost the talismanic Ilkay Gundogan who was an integral figure last season, but they still have a real embarrassment of riches at their disposal and they can simply outclass their nearest pursuers, who are likely to be Arsenal again.

Luke Hamilton: Pep Guardiola

Not even a couple of high-profile departures can reduce the disparity between Pep Guardiola's Manchester City team and the rest of the chasing Premier League pack. With Arsenal considered the strongest challenger in dethroning a side who have won five of the last six top-flight titles, it feels like a bit of a non-starter that the crown leaves the Etihad's trophy cabinet this term.

Steven McQuillan: Erik ten Hag

Erik Ten Hag proved last season that he can turn a mediocre Man Utd squad into a team that can challenge for trophies. The difference Ten Hag has made not just on the pitch but off the pitch is huge and I really think Man Utd have got the players and the right man in charge to be challenging Man City for the Premier League title. Ten Hag has identified his problems from last season and brought in the players he knows will make a difference, if they improve from last season, I don't see a reason they can't be one of the top players in the league.

Michael Bates: Mikel Arteta

Arsenal, go on I've said it, committed it to writing so it can come back and hurt me when I look back at the season. Last year Man City proved they were not unbeatable, suffering defeats to Brentford (twice), Liverpool, Man Utd and even Spurs, while nearly relegated Forest and Everton could scrape a draw. Don't get me wrong the Gunners are also capable of being beaten by these teams (Forest and Everton) but it's expected of Arsenal and over the course of an entire season I think that Mikel Arteta's team may have the edge (and will probably play fewer games in the FA Cup etc).

Anton Eadson: Pep Guardiola

Pep Guardiola’s side have won five of the last six league titles and I don’t see their dominant period coming to an end in the forthcoming campaign.

In the six most recent renewals City have amassed points totals of: 89, 93, 86, 81, 98 and 100. In Erling Haaland, they have a striker who is the first ever to be the odds-on favourite in the Premier League top-scorer market after his outstanding 36-goal haul, and I’ve every faith he can replicate those figures this term.

When it comes to the competition from other teams, I simply don’t believe anyone can get near them. The bookies have Arsenal as second favourites for the title at 5/1. For me, that’s way too short. The Gunners collected 50 points from their first 18 matches last season and I think they will struggle to replicate those.

I can see both Liverpool and Man Utd making progress in the coming months, but I don’t feel any have the ability to go toe-to-toe with City when the chips are down in the final few weeks, as we saw with Arsenal previously.

Results: Title Winner

Pep Guardiola: 5
Mikel Arteta: 1
Erik ten Hag: 1

Second Premier League Manager To Leave

Jack Kitson: Roy Hodgson

Wolves couldn't even wait for the season to begin before they parted ways with Julen Lopetegui, in scenes that echoed Martin O'Neill's shock departure from Aston Villa just before the 2010/11 season. So now the attention turns to the second departure of a campaign that's not even started yet. Utterly bewildering. I think the continued availability of Graham Potter could spur certain clubs into changing tack should they stutter out of the blocks. One such name club could be Crystal Palace, whose returning Roy Hodgson did a magnificent job last season. However, he's only been handed a one-year contract, has lost Wilfried Zaha, and could have already put himself under pressure by targetting a top-10 finish.

Billy Grimshaw: Roberto De Zerbi

Going into this season I am fairly confident that both Luton and Sheffield United will be back in the Championship in 2024/25. Then again, I was certain Bournemouth would go back down last year so what do I know?

Both Rob Edwards at Luton and Paul Heckingbottom at The Blades are in the top five most likely managers to be sacked first according to the odds compilers, but as I think their boards are resigned to relegation I perversely think both men are safe in their roles. With that in mind, there must be some value further down the list and I can't resist a tickle on Roberto De Zerbi at a massive 40/1.

This does not mean I think he will be sacked due to a poor start at Brighton, quite the opposite in fact. The fiery Italian has proven himself as one of the best in the league, and my reasoning for this speculative bet is more backing De Zerbi to once again kick on with the Seagulls, which will attract a seriously big club to make a play for his services. David Moyes is the favourite but at a much bigger price, I think there is value in De Zerbi's odds.

Steve Chambers: Andoni Iraola

Bournemouth showed with their harsh dismissal of Gary O'Neil that they aren't afraid to wield the axe and with the Cherries facing Liverpool, Tottenham, Chelsea and Arsenal in their first seven Premier League matches then Adoni Iraola's spell at the Vitality Stadium could be a short one. The south coast club will need to hit the ground running at home to West Ham in the first match, but if they fail to pick up any points from that then it could be a tough first couple of months for Iraola at the helm.

Luke Hamilton: Steve Cooper

Job security is a thing of the past and Forest were close to giving Steve Cooper the clip last season before results picked up. Given how competitive - or uncompetitive depending on how you look at it - the division is becoming season-upon-season, especially at the foot of the table, a few bad results can cause Evangelos Marinakis and his itchy fingers to pull the trigger in a desperate bid to secure their top-flight status for another season.

Steven McQuillan: Marco Silva

I think you can squeeze some great value out of Marco Silva at Fulham. My thinking behind this one is Mitrovic could be set to leave the club this window and a Fulham without their best player is not a Fulham I expect to be doing well in the league. If they are to lose the Serbian then they're going to miss out on some big goals in their side, this will ultimately leave them in the lower part of the Premier League and the blame will be shifted right onto Silva. Fulham have a fairly tough start with Everton away, Brentord at home, and then Arsenal and Man City away. It's not crazy to say they won't win a single one of their opening four games.

Michael Bates: Steve Cooper

I think it will be a poor run of games from the start for Nottingham Forest so faith in Steve Cooper could melt away quicker than a chocolate tea pot, forcing his owners to make a quick choice in replacing him, despite sticking by him last season.

Anton Eadson: Paul Heckingbottom

I’ve been really disappointed with Sheffield United’s transfer window so far. The club have lost Iliman Ndiaye, and loanees Tommy Doyle, Ciaran Clark, Reda Khadra and James McAtee have all returned to their parent club.

Sander Berge could well be on his way to Burnley and there is an argument to be made that this squad is now weaker than what it was in The Championship last season. This may be more of a reflection on the board than the manager Paul Heckingbottom, but with the Blades set to struggle in the opening few months, it would be no surprise to see the club make a switch in the dugout in a desperate attempt to turnaround their season.

Results: Second Premier League Manager To Leave

Steve Cooper: 2
Roberto De Zerbi: 1
Andoni Iraola: 1
Marco Silva: 1
Roy Hodgson: 1
Paul Heckingbottom: 1

Surprise Package

Jack Kitson: Andoni Iraola

I really felt for Gary O'Neil when he was given the boot by Bournemouth following an impressive campaign. However, in Andoni Iraola they have appointed an extremely talented manager who could well surprise a few people next season. After a fantastic few years at Rayo Vallecano, I think he has an ideal platform to make his mark in the Premier League where he'll be tasked with transforming the Cherries into a more attack-minded side. It could thus prove to be an entertaining ride for Cherries fans.

Billy Grimshaw: Mauricio Pochettino

Can a team who have spent the money Chelsea have ever really be a surprise package? I’m not sure, but I’m going with them anyway. Graham Potter was an abject failure since his appointment and somehow the Blues got even worse when rehiring hapless Frank Lampard on an interim basis to steady the ship. Chelsea have always seemed a club with player power at its core but Pochettino could be the man to get this squad onside and he has talent all over the field. Enzo Fernandez is a special player and will kick on this year and Nkunku and Jackson look primed to start fast. With no European football to distract the Blues, I can see them being the best of the rest.

Steve Chambers: Vincent Kompany

Clear winners of the Championship last season, Burnley will return to the Premier League looking to ruffle a few feathers and in Vincent Kompany they have a forward-thinking manager that will be relishing the chance to pit his wits against some of the best managers in the world. Dominant throughout games last season, there's a real good feel-good factor around Turf Moor and beyond the top-6 there's a host of mediocre teams, so why not snap up the 13/2 for the Clarets to finish in the Top Half of the league.

Luke Hamilton: Unai Emery

Unai Emery's body of work since landing in Birmingham has been nothing short of spectacular. Villa were hovering just above the relegation zone when Steven Gerrard was relieved of his duties last October, and the Spaniard has completely reshaped their fortunes, securing the club's highest-placed finish for 12 seasons and their first taste of European football for that same amount of time. If the table only consisted of points since Emery entered the building, Villa would have finished fifth on 49pts behind Man City, Arsenal, Man Utd and Liverpool. They're 9/1 to infiltrate the top four and 3/1 to secure a top-six finish - neither of which are beyond the realms of possibility given this team's tactical awareness, recent squad enhancements and their dynamic attacking threats.

Steven McQuillan: Sean Dyche

Everton avoided relegation yet again last season and with the standards and expectations for Everton at an all-time low, this could be the season where Everton can finally get back into the swing of things. Everyone is expecting Everton to get back into a relegation scrap which I think will benefit the mentality of their players and they'll be wanting to prove a lot of the doubters wrong. Sean Dyche is a great manager and I think a top-12 finish would be great for Everton which would certainly pass as a surprise in my eyes.

Michael Bates: Rob Edwards

Rob Edwards and Luton Town may be nailed on the ante-post betting for Premier League relegation this season but they faced stiff opposition to make the playoffs and win promotion. This is purely a gut feeling: I'd love to see a top-half finish against all the odds.

Anton Eadson: Roberto De Zerbi

With so much money being thrown around by the ‘big-seven’ in the Premier League it isn’t easy to see a ‘surprise package’. However, Brighton proved last year that it is possible to achieve a top-six finish without breaking the bank.

The Seagulls may have lost Alexis Mac Allister to Liverpool, but I have every faith that Tony Bloom has enough plans in place to ensure that they do not regress this term. I’m excited to see more from Evan Ferguson and Kaoru Mitoma and it would be no surprise to see them challenge again for the European places.

Results: Surprise Package