Coaching switches in full swing
EVERY side below Newcastle United bar one have now sacked a manager so far this season as the pressure of a relegation battle continues to take its toll on other clubs.
In the aftermath of the Magpies’ impressive 3-0 victory over Southampton, the southcoast club dismissed Mauricio Pellegrino on Monday evening.
The Saints are just one place and one point above the drop zone with eight games to go – and Pellegrino accused his players of “giving up” during the second half at St James’ Park.
It almost appeared as if the Argentine – who was formerly both an assistant to, and a player under, Rafa Benitez – had become accepting of his fate following the Saints’ lifeless performance on Tyneside.
His dismissal makes him the ninth Premier League manager to lose their job this season – with six of the seven clubs below United having changed their head coach in 2017/18.
Bottom-of-the-table West Bromwich Albion, Stoke City, Crystal Palace, Southampton, West Ham United and Swansea City have all parted company with a manager at some point this season.
Only Huddersfield Town and Newcastle are yet to do so from the bottom-eight sides, while Brighton and Hove Albion have kept faith with Chris Hughton too – meaning none of the three promoted teams have changed manager so far this term.
Benitez celebrated his second anniversary as Magpies boss on Sunday – and he is already the eighth-longest-serving manager in the Premier League.
Mark Hughes is the early favourite to succeed Pellegrino at St Mary’s Stadium, which appears rather bemusing given that he was himself sacked by Stoke earlier in the campaign due to the Potters’ struggles against relegation.
Former Newcastle manager Alan Pardew also looks likely to lose his job at West Brom before the end of the season – but reports claim he will be given at least one more match to try to breathe life into the Baggies’ seemingly doomed campaign.