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The Premier League sack race is heating up and nearly half of the top-flight managers will have one eye over their shoulders. Tottenham, Manchester United, Newcastle, Aston Villa, Crystal Palace and Bournemouth are all teams undoubtedly frustrated to be sitting in the bottom half of the table after seven games. Coaching is an unforgiving business, with the finger of blame all too often pointed squarely at those in charge of the teamsheets, often without much context for the bigger picture. But if history is anything to go by, the first sacking of the season should arrive as we enter the winter months and teams begin to panic. And here, Express Sport has taken a look at who our contributors think the writing is on the wall for...
Archie Griggs - Pierre Sage
I think Pierre Sage could be the one to fall first after overseeing a dismal start to the campaign for Crystal Palace.
It was always going to be tough to replace Oliver Glasner, but to be questioning your own future after just seven games is hardly a promising sign.
Much of Palace's success in recent seasons has been built on their solidity in defence. This season, they have already conceded 17 league goals, more than any other team.
Five of those came in the hammering at Brighton over the weekend, which certainly won't be forgotten in a hurry. In fact, it will be remembered for years and maybe even decades to come, for all the wrong reasons.
Defeats like those at the hands of your biggest rivals can be make-or-break for managers and I suspect Sage will be gone unless he goes on a mad winning run, which doesn't look likely given Palace's form this season.
And with coaches like Thomas Frank, Arne Slot and long-term target Kieran McKenna currently out of work, the temptation to pull the trigger might just be too overwhelming.
Amos Murphy - Pierre Sage
If it wasn’t going to cost Manchester United or Tottenham so much money to sack Michael Carrick and Roberto De Zerbi, respectively, you could see them pulling the plug.
But it looks as if Crystal Palace will be the team that does so first.
Granted, Pierre Sage did work wonders during his stint with Lens in France, but it always felt like an odd fit. And based on his weekend comments, it sounds like the Frenchman is already resigned to his fate.
Who do you think will be the first Premier League boss axed? Vote in our poll below...
Jack McEachen - Oliver Glasner
It took time for Oliver Glasner to become a roaring success at Crystal Palace, but Evangelos Marinakis is not renowned for his patience.
Defeat to champions Arsenal saw Forest drop into the relegation zone and if Glasner fails to pick up points from his next two matches against Ipswich and Brentford, it could make for bleak reading.
A trip to Bournemouth is then sandwiched between trips to Manchester City and Chelsea. By the time Forest go to Hull at the beginning of December, a new name could be in charge.
Michael Carrick and Roberto De Zerbi are understandably feeling the heat too, but both clubs have issues that run deeper than the head coach. Plus, they could prove to be costly sackings in an age of budget-cutting, especially at Old Trafford.
Mr Marinakis, however, has shown that he has no problem paying to get a new manager through the door.
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