Sportsbooks Predicting Chelsea’s Frank Lampard Next PL Manager to Be Sacked, Latest Odds

Managerial casualties tend to come part and parcel with any Premier League campaign, and Chelsea chief Frank Lampard is being shorted as the next boss to bite the dust this season.

The Blues entered the 2020-21 campaign with lofty ambitions after spending heavily in the summer transfer window, but they’re disappointed to reach the halfway mark sat eighth in the table. Many speculated Chelsea could even make a run at the title after Lampard—a three-time Premier League champion at Stamford Bridge as a player—acquired a wealth of new stars, but his side are 11 points adrift of leaders Manchester United and five points off the top four.

The pressure is mounting in west London, and Unibet New Jersey has Lampard priced as -167 favorite to be fired next (as of January 22). ESPN reported the 42-year-old will be afforded time to turn things around, though that’s due to a lack of potential upgrades in the current market, rather than the boardroom’s faith in their incumbent.

That being said, there is a sense numerous managers out there could be doing a lot more with this talented Chelsea squad, as was recently discussed on The Totally Football Show:

🎙️FROM THE POD🎙️

Frank Lampard could be a good manager at some point, but he won't have the chance to be at Chelsea. Which exposes the problem of parachuting big names into big jobs too early. Brendan Rodgers is walking proof that managers improve over time…

— The Totally Football Show (@TheTotallyShow) January 21, 2021

Sacking speculation went into overdrive following the recent 2-0 defeat at Leicester City, where the Foxes firmly outclassed their guests and left Chelsea with just three wins in their last 10 games:

Slaven Bilic was the first tactician to be shown the exit in December, though West Bromwich Albion have failed to improve results under his successor. That heir, Sam Allardyce, is tipped at +2500 to become the next manager fired himself, which tempts given this is the sixth coaching job he’s held since 2015, failing to last even a year in his previous four positions.

However, it’s the man behind Lampard in the betting order, Newcastle United boss Steve Bruce, who strikes as the best bet to become the second Premier League boss axed at +225 odds.

The top-flight veteran has failed to inspire during his second campaign in charge of the Magpies, whose last win occurred on December 12, taking two league points from the last possible 21.

Mark Smith of Football365 mused Bruce, a native of the northeast, might have already been sacked had fans been allowed to attend matches this season:

🎥 "Steve Bruce has probably saved his job at the moment by there being no fans in St James Park, because if there were they would be very loud about this and protesting in their numbers." @marksmithstuff and Winty are back for another Big Weekend: https://t.co/EosDw8M8rb #avlnew pic.twitter.com/wJcT983YYJ

— Football365 (@F365) January 22, 2021

Newcastle owner Mike Ashley has kept the faith thus far, but the need for a change will quickly escalate if they move any closer to the relegation places, with seven points between them and the bottom three at present.

Like Bruce, Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder is a native at Bramall Lane, but his +500 price to go next are also of interest given the Blades sit bottom of the table and 12 points from safety. Wilder masterminded the club to a dream finish of ninth last year, which goes in his favor alongside the fact he’s at his hometown club. Even that romance may only go so far for the owners, however, as they seek to preserve the club’s place among England’s first tier.

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has drastically improved his situation after a remarkable turn of form sees his club lead the table after 19 games. The Norwegian was a +200 favorite to be fired in mid-December, but that price has since soared to +5000.

However, the honor of ‘Least Likely to Be Sacked’ goes to Leicester’s Brendan Rodgers, whose +8000 pricing puts him in front of even Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola and Liverpool chief Jurgen Klopp, who are level with Solskjaer at +5000.

Prediction: Steve Bruce next Premier League manager sacked (+225)

Odds via Unibet NJ