For and Against Sacking Unai Emery, Manuel Pellegrini and Marco Silva

 Unai Emery, Manuel Pellegrini and Marco Silva are under pressure at Arsenal, West Ham and Everton respectively. Photograph: EPA/REX Shutterstock/Getty
Unai Emery, Manuel Pellegrini and Marco Silva are under pressure at Arsenal, West Ham and Everton respectively. Photograph: EPA/REX Shutterstock/Getty
TT

For and Against Sacking Unai Emery, Manuel Pellegrini and Marco Silva

 Unai Emery, Manuel Pellegrini and Marco Silva are under pressure at Arsenal, West Ham and Everton respectively. Photograph: EPA/REX Shutterstock/Getty
Unai Emery, Manuel Pellegrini and Marco Silva are under pressure at Arsenal, West Ham and Everton respectively. Photograph: EPA/REX Shutterstock/Getty

The case for sacking

Emery has never felt like the right man for Arsenal. He is conscious that no real bond has ever been forged with the fans, although he has not necessarily had much help in that regard, and whether he has the charisma to take on a top job in modern-day football is debatable. But those things can be worked through if the results and style of play are good, and Arsenal appear in a muddle. Emery has switched between back threes and fours, veered from high pressing to a more reactive approach, preached the need for more control while only cajoling a handful of 90-minute performances and become ensnared in messy situations around key figures like Granit Xhaka and Mesut Özil. A mid-table finish would be hugely damaging and, if no change is made now, that looks increasingly possible.

The case for keeping

The cost of changing things now makes any mid-season switch a big gamble. By some estimates it would take £15m to sever ties with Emery and his staff, and then there is the expense of bringing someone in with the skill and gravitas to turn things around. A hasty decision would not cut it; giving someone like Freddie Ljungberg the keys for six months would only be a populist call and, while a longer-term appointment might bring a spike in results, this is the time to take stock and decide who can propel Arsenal forward for years. It would be prudent to wait until the end of the season and, in the meantime, hope Emery can thrive in his natural habitat among a beatable Europa League field. As Emery has pointed out, factors like Laurent Koscielny’s protracted departure and the issues befalling Özil and Xhaka have upset the “emotional balance” of his squad and not aided his task. More upheaval would not necessarily bring calmer waters. Nick Ames

Manuel Pellegrini
The situation

West Ham, who have not won since beating Manchester United on 22 September, have picked up only two points from the last 21 available in the Premier League (won 0, drawn 2, lost 5).

The case for sacking

It did not have to be this bad without Lukasz Fabianski. The goalkeeper has been badly missed since suffering a hip injury in September and, unfortunately, the decision to deploy Roberto as his replacement is threatening to define Pellegrini’s reign. The Spaniard was picked by Mario Husillos, West Ham’s director of football, and he is woefully out of his depth. Yet it is not just about Roberto. Husillos was hired on Pellegrini’s insistence and the pair have made costly mistakes in the transfer market (giving the injury-prone Jack Wilshere a three-year deal is unforgivable). Tactically, Pellegrini is inflexible and unable to accept West Ham are in a relegation battle. He has also created a flimsy, indulgent side and an increasingly alarmed hierarchy fear they could be forced to act soon.

The case for keeping

Pellegrini has a wealth of experience and West Ham have not lost all faith in his managerial acumen. There was excitement when the former Manchester City manager arrived at the London Stadium as David Moyes’s replacement in May 2018. His attacking style also seemed in keeping with West Ham’s traditions. There were also promising signs after a poor start last season, with wins over Arsenal, Manchester United and Spurs getting supporters onside. The hope at board level is that results will improve when Fabianski is fit again. It will also cost a lot to sack a manager who has 18 months left on a deal worth £7m a year. Jacob Steinberg

Marco Silva
The situation

Beaten 2-0 at home by rock-bottom Norwich on Saturday. Everton are four points off the teams in the relegation zone and face a daunting run over the next few weeks against Leicester, Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester United.

The case for sacking

Silva was an initial success at his two previous clubs in England before the improvement proved unsustainable. Everton were warned when appointing Silva that he came with no guarantee but at the time they simply wanted someone with a bit more style and sophistication than Sam Allardyce. On the whole they have been disappointed. Everton have not developed a settled way of playing and have been wildly inconsistent. The season is only 13 matches old and the seven defeats to date have included capitulations to all three promoted clubs. Silva has been backed with money but 15th is a long way from what the club was expecting and the fixture list until the end of the year is horrendous.

The case for keeping

Some Everton fans are of the opinion the club should go straight out and lasso Mauricio Pochettino, forgetting the best time to do that was six or seven years ago when Southampton did it. A manager who has just been to a Champions League final and is hungry for more is unlikely to be in a hurry to align himself with a club that perennially misses out on the elite positions, especially another one in the process of relocating to a new ground. The present Everton manager is a reasonable approximation of what a younger Pochettino had to offer. He may not be moving the club forward very quickly but at some point Everton have to stop chopping and changing, especially when it is not clear they can attract anyone better. Paul Wilson

The Guardian Sport



Diallo Goal Seals 2-2 Draw for Man United against Liverpool

Manchester United's Amad Diallo reacts at the end of the English Premier League soccer match against Liverpool at the Anfield stadium in Liverpool, England Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025. (AP)
Manchester United's Amad Diallo reacts at the end of the English Premier League soccer match against Liverpool at the Anfield stadium in Liverpool, England Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025. (AP)
TT

Diallo Goal Seals 2-2 Draw for Man United against Liverpool

Manchester United's Amad Diallo reacts at the end of the English Premier League soccer match against Liverpool at the Anfield stadium in Liverpool, England Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025. (AP)
Manchester United's Amad Diallo reacts at the end of the English Premier League soccer match against Liverpool at the Anfield stadium in Liverpool, England Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025. (AP)

Amad Diallo's late equalizer secured a 2-2 draw for Manchester United against Premier League leader Liverpool on Sunday.

The forward turned home Alejandro Garnacho's cross in the 80th minute at Anfield after Mohamed Salah's penalty had looking like giving Liverpool the win.

United led through Lisandro Martinez's strike in the 52nd, but Cody Gakpo leveled seven minutes later.

Salah fired Liverpool ahead from the spot in the 70th after Matthijs de Ligt handled in the box.

Late drama Raul Jimenez scored a 91st-minute penalty to salvage a 2-2 draw for Fulham against Ipswich.

It was Jimenez's second penalty of the match as Fulham twice came from a goal down at Craven Cottage.

Relegation-fighting Ipswich went ahead through Sam Szmodics in the 38th and Jimenez leveled from the spot in the 69th.

Ipswich went in front again through Liam Delap's penalty in the 71st and looked like climbing out of the relegation zone.

But when Jimenez was brought down by Leif Davis in the box, referee Darren Bond pointed to the spot again.

Jimenez made no mistake and fired into the top corner to share the points.

Fulham is ninth and six points off the top four, while Ipswich is 18th and below Wolverhampton on goal difference, having played a game more.