Some coaches are already under immense pressure and won't last long if their teams start poorly…
The new Premier League season is about to get under way, which is more than a little surreal, as it doesn't feel as if the players have had much of a summer break, especially those involved in the Club World Cup in the United States. Several sides, meanwhile, are still working away in the transfer market, trying desperately to bring in new players – or clear some dead wood – before the window closes at the end of the month.
Nonetheless, we have a pretty good idea of how everyone is shaping up ahead of the resumption of play in England's top-flight, so it's time for us at GOAL to stick our necks out and make some predictions.
Over the coming days, our writers will be giving their takes on all the biggest issues, from the teams who are likely to be scrapping for survival to those who will be fighting for top-four finishes and the title, and everything in between.
Today, we've taken a look at the sack race, and had our say on who we believe will be the first manager to lose his job this season…
Getty Images Sport'Potter could pay price for slow start'
Mark Doyle: West Ham may have waited too long to sack Julen Lopetegui, but the Spaniard's successor, Graham Potter, still had plenty of time to turn their season around, only to fail miserably in that regard. The Hammers only won three Premier League games following the Englishman's appointment on January 9, and went two months without a victory at one point. The poor run of results might have been more tolerable had there been evidence of the progressive football with which Potter made his name at Brighton – but West Ham were dreadful to watch. There's every chance, then, that the former Chelsea boss will come under some serious pressure if the Irons start the season slowly, which is a distinct possibility given their summer business has done little to lift the spirits of the supporters upset by the sale of Mohammed Kudus to Tottenham.
AdvertisementGetty Images Sport'Parker needs a miracle to survive'
James Westwood: Scott Parker needs a miracle to avoid being sacked for the third time in his career as a Premier League manager. In addition to losing James Trafford's safe pair of hands, Burnley also saw CJ Egan-Riley and Josh Brownhill run down their contracts, which left two more gaping holes in defence and midfield, respectively. The Clarets have brought in some new players, including Manchester City legend Kyle Walker, but they still don't have enough quality to compete in the top-flight, and Parker will do well to last in the hot seat beyond October.
Getty Images Sport'Farke has never been popular with Leeds fans'
Amee Ruszkai: There were rumours in the days that followed promotion from the Championship that Leeds could appoint someone else ahead of their Premier League return, which is never a good sign, and Daniel Farke has been unpopular with fans at various points during his spell in West Yorkshire, so feels like the stand-out option for an early exit. Bad runs will be expected from all of the newly-promoted sides and it's likely the pressure will grow on Farke particularly quickly when Leeds stumble into theirs, with the fans so hungry for a positive return to the top-flight.
Getty Images Sport'Potter over Amorim'
Sean Walsh: I'm not privy to what my colleagues have written, but I feel a few of them will be saying Ruben Amorim. That's why I've gone with Graham Potter, who I don't believe will instil an identity at West Ham, as my pick.
