The Premier League 2022/23 fixtures are out, Betfair have launched the new season sack race market and it's bad news for Everton's boss...
Everton manager Frank Lampard is the favourite to be the first Premier League manager to leave his job in 2022/23.
The former-Chelsea star kept Everton in the top flight last term, after taking over when they were already in a relegation fight, but the sack race odds indicate his luck will run out in the new season.
Other managers who could be out early, according to the market, including Southampton's Ralph Hasenhuttl 9/2, Leeds' Jesse Marsch 6/1 and Fulham's Marco Silva 8/1.
Big names to watch? New Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag is 33/1. The Old Trafford hierarchy have promised to be patient, and let the Dutchman rebuild the team, but nobody is more than a few defeats from the sack in the Premier League.
It will come as no surprise to see Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp rated the least likely to leave first at 66/1.
Lampard was sacked by Chelsea in 2021 and is keen to prove at Everton that he can cut it as a Premier League boss.
He should take heart from recent history. Last summer, Patrick Vieira was joint-favourite to win the sack race (the race nobody wants to win).
Watford's Xisco was the other joint-favourite at 6/1 and the Hornets board duly swung the axe.
But Vieira defied the doubters to steer Crystal Palace to a 12th-place finish, pull of some famous victories against clubs near the top of the table, and earn himself a place on the shortlist for the Manager of the Year Award.
Can Lampard do something similar in 2022/23? Everton kick off their campaign at home to Chelsea on Saturday 6 August but things could get a little easier after that, with a trip to Aston Villa and a home match against promoted Nottingham Forest.