Roy Hodgson has become the first Premier League managerial scalp of 2011, but you can bet there will be more before the end of the season.

It’s incredible to think that, in a league where Sir Alex Ferguson is into his 25th year of managing Manchester United and Arsene Wenger has been at Arsenal for 15 years, the life expectancy of a manager is so very short (Manchester United 4/6 to win the Premier League, Arsenal 10/3).

Hodgson came to Anfield as a hero, having led Fulham to the Europa League final in May. Yet in six short months he became a villain to the Liverpool supporters, who were chanting the name of Kenny Dalglish as long ago as November’s 2-0 defeat at Stoke.

Aside from Wenger and Ferguson, David Moyes is the only top flight boss to have been in the job for more than five years.

Tony Pulis at Stoke City will reach the five-year landmark before the end of this season as there is virtually no chance that the Potters will dispense of a manager who has taken them from the lower reaches of the Championship to being an established Premier League side (Stoke 20/1 for top six finish).

But who else in the Premier League can regard their position as safe these days, and who could be handed their P45 before the end of the season?

Harry Redknapp might be ruing his failure to land David Beckham on loan, but he has little else to feel bad about (Tottenham 28/1 to win the Premier League).

An excellent campaign in the Champions League and superb form in the Premier League make him just about the most secure manager there is. He has only been in charge for two years, but has made Spurs a real contender for the title as well as bringing exciting football back to White Hart Lane.

Gareth Bale has turned into one of the Premier League’s most outstanding players, while Redknapp’s signing of Rafael van der Vaart has proven to be inspired.

Moyes is closing in on nine years at Goodison Park, and while he is not under any real threat at the moment, he will be hoping to turn around the Toffees’ season (Everton 5/2 for top six finish).

Everton fans expect their team to be challenging for Europe, but they currently lie in the bottom half of the table and 10 points adrift of fifth-placed Chelsea. For many Blues fans, the only important stat is that they are currently above Liverpool in the table, although only by one place. However, the Reds have a game in hand over them and could become rejuvenated under Kenny Dalglish.

We can assume that, whatever happens between now and the end of the season, Alan Pardew is safe at Newcastle having been handed a long contract (Newcastle 11/1 for top six finish).

The same can be said for Steve Bruce at Sunderland, whose side have been a revelation this season and who are now bidding for a European place. The Black Cats are sixth in the Premier League table, just two points behind Chelsea, and if they can improve their away form – they have only won twice on the road – they have a chance of bringing European football to the Stadium of Light next term (Sunderland 7/2 for top six finish).

Owen Coyle at Bolton is secure in his job, with the Trotters seventh in the table and playing an attractive brand of football that has brought the good times back to the Reebok Stadium (Bolton 11/2 for top six finish).

Blackpool fans expected to be fighting a relegation scrap all season long, but Ian Holloway has made them the talk of the top flight (Blackpool 2/7 to stay up).

Holloway has taken a team struggling at the wrong end of the Championship and transformed them into a mid-table Premier League side who not only win matches but do so whilst playing entertaining football. There is more chance of The Blackpool Tower collapsing than Holloway being given the boot this season.

But let’s look at those managers who are in trouble.

Chelsea would not have to fall much further before Roman Abramovich decides to pull the plug on Carlo Ancelotti’s tenure. The Blues won the title last season, scoring goals for fun, but the last couple of months have been disastrous at Stamford Bridge.

They currently sit nine points behind leaders Manchester United, having played a game more, and Ancelotti has already all but conceded defeat in the title race. Chelsea’s home form has been good – only United have won more games at home – but away from home they are very fragile and have been beaten five times.

If Chelsea make an early exit from Europe, or suffer many more defeats to lowly teams, then expect Ancelotti to be handed his cards (Chelsea 9/1 to win the Premier League).

Having come so close to European honours last season, Fulham fans cannot be happy with the way the first half of the season has gone. Mohammed Al Fayed has backed Mark Hughes publicly, but he went into the festive programme with rumours that he had to win one of his next three games.

Fulham then beat Stoke 2-0 away from home, their first win on their travels this season, but they will need more days like that for Hughes to keep his job (Fulham 7/2 to be relegated).

Birmingham’s Alex McLeish is another man who is dining out on a reputation earned last season, when the Blues were rock-solid at home. This term they have only won three of their 10 games at St Andrews, and just once away. So far they have just about kept clear of the bottom three, but if they fall any further then McLeish’s odds of being sacked will shorten (Birmingham 3/1 to be relegated).

West Brom are no strangers to the Premier League’s drop zone, so their expectations are not high. Roberto di Matteo has put together a good squad, and the board are unlikely to make a change while the side are just about keeping their heads above water (West Brom 13/5 to be relegated).

Mick McCarthy’s side are capable of the odd shock result – take the win at Liverpool, their first away from home, as a classic example. But they have lost eight times on the road and rely too much on a home record which has seen them win five of 11 Premier League games. McCarthy is popular with Wolves supporters, but his popularity in the boardroom may be tested unless Wolves can get some breathing space between themselves and the bottom three (Wolves 8/11 to be relegated).

Gerard Houllier cannot be sleeping easily at night. Martin O’Neill may not have produced a side that was hugely entertaining, but at least they were always fighting for a place in Europe. Houllier’s side are fighting for their place in the Premier League, and the clock is ticking. Don’t expect Villa to have too much more patience with Houllier – a couple more bad results and he is surely a goner (Villa 4/1 to be relegated).

Wigan’s Roberto Martinez is a likeable guy whose side is hard working. How much more time that buys him is the key question (Wigan 3/4 to be relegated).

The Latics leak far too many goals – they have conceded 20 at home, which is four more than any other team. However, they are likely to give Martinez some cash to spend in January rather than sack him now. He must then turn their fortunes around quickly with a new-look squad or face the consequences.

Avram Grant, having battled manfully at Portsmouth at the end of last season, knows what a relegation dogfight is like and he’s been in one all season with West Ham. Every time they look like they can haul themselves clear of the bottom three, a morale-sapping defeat is just around the corner (West Ham 8/13 to be relegated).

The question now at Upton Park is will the board allow Grant to keep Scott Parker and bring in new players during the transfer window, or will a new manager be appointed and handed the cash? The odds are that Grant is only one or two defeats away from losing his job.

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