Liverpool's Chances of the Champions League Evaporate as West Brom's Chances of Survival Improve

Roy Hodgson returned to haunt Liverpool yesterday as his West Brom side virtually killed off any slight outside chance the Reds had of Champions League football next year.

Two penalties from Chris Brunt after Martin Skrtel had opened the scoring for Liverpool were enough for the Baggies to deservedly claim all three points and thus extend their unbeaten run under the ex-Liverpool boss to five games.

Roy Hodgson Takes Over at West Brom in the Hope of Getting England Call

Ex-Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson has taken over from Roberto Di Matteo as manager of West Bromwich Albion after the Italian was sacked following a disastrous run of results that saw the Baggies lose 13 of their last 18 games. It will be the 63-year-old's 21st management job in a football career that has spanned 46 years.

The move back into the dugout for has come much quicker than anyone expected, including Hodgson. From being unceremoniously sacked by Liverpool after just six months it was assumed by the watching football world that the well liked manager would take a well deserved break from the game.

However, it would seem that his desire to succeed Fabio Capello as England manager next summer after the Euro 2012 finals would be the main catalyst to a quick return to the game.

Premier League Sack Race: Odds For Every Manager

Who will be the next manager to get the sack in the English Premier League? Are Avram Grant’s days numbered? Does Wenger have to win a trophy? Can Roy Hodgson turn Liverpool around?
You wait around all season for the first EPL manager to be sacked and then two happen within the space of a week.


Chris Hughton’s and Sam Allardyce’s removals were both strange to say the least, as neither man was doing what would normally be considered as a bad job.

Whichever way you look at it, the money is the owners at the end of the day and they have the right to decide upon who takes the key roles in their organisation.

In the end, they make their own beds and have to lie in them…

Premier League Sack Race: Odds for Every Manager, Hodgson-Wenger-Mancini-Ancelotti-Grant

Who will be the next manager to get the sack in the English Premier League? Are Avram Grant’s days numbered? Does Wenger have to win a trophy? Can Roy Hodgson turn Liverpool around?

You wait around all season for the first EPL manager to be sacked and then two happen within the space of a week.

Chris Hughton’s and Sam Allardyce’s removals were both strange to say the least, as neither man was doing what would normally be considered as a bad job.

Whichever way you look at it, the money is the owners at the end of the day and they have the right to decide upon who takes the key roles in their organisation.

In the end, they make their own beds and have to lie in them…

Here we take a look at the odds for each manager and assess whose job is safe, or not.

Liverpool Fans Should Be Careful of What They Wish For Because It May Come True

As Liverpool slumped to yet another defeat, in this, the most wretched of seasons, their fans chanted the name of the man they want to replace Roy Hodgson. None other than Kenny Dalglish. However, the very fans chanting that name should be careful of what they wish for.

There is no denying; Liverpool FC has endured a brutal start to the season. 16 points after 13 games with a goal difference of -4 is not something that is generally equated with the once great club. Anfield has enjoyed nights where league campaigns were won and lost, it has seen some of the greatest European football nights of all time and has had some of the games greatest managers pound it's touchlines as they screamed orders to sides brought up on trophies and professionalism of the highest order.

To see their side struggling so must be painful. It is hard to bear but it is the price the club must pay for 20 years of bad management at the highest level of the club.

Liverpool FC: NESV's Plan for the Future

Barely two weeks since John Henry and the New England Sports Venture took over Liverpool FC, they have begun to put their stamp on the club.

Not only has Damien Comolli been placed between the Directors at the club and Roy Hodgson, but co-owner Tom Werner has also made it known how NESV will try to exploit the club going forward.

Harry Redknapp On Liverpool and Danny Murphy On Tackling: Misguided Defence of Hodgson?

Within the space of a couple of days, both Harry Redknapp and Danny Murphy issued extensive comments about two of the hottest topics concerning the English footballing world at the moment, the financial situation at Liverpool and dangerous tackling, respectively.

But were those comments genuine attempts at voicing their opinions or just misguided attempts at something else completely?

Liverpool 1-2 Blackpool: Black and Orange Leaves Anfield Red All Over

Ian Holloway's Blackpool produced the result of this or any other season today by beating Premiership giants Liverpool 2-1 at Anfield. It was all the newly promoted team deserved as their adventurous approach caused many problems for Roy Hodgson's struggling side.

If anyone thought that Liverpool was in a false position before today, they will have to reassess their thinking. Blackpool's victory was earned well. The Seasiders played without fear and took the game to their much vaunted hosts.

Blackpool raced into a two-goal lead thanks to strikes from Charlie Adam and Luke Varney before the much maligned Sotirios Krygiakos headed the Reds back into the game.

Roy Hodgson's Liverpool career is so fresh that the ink has barely dried on his contract. The popular manager has had to endure a trial by fire in his first weeks on the job. But just as he is getting his feet under the table there is a very real chance that he could be sacked.

Make no mistake about; six points from six games for a club with the stature of Liverpool is just not good enough. However, the most discouraging part of the Reds start to the season has been the manner of their performances; ranging from passable to abject.

Will Liverpool Last Another 37 Weeks Without Going into Administration?

Liverpool may have begun their season with a decent battling performance against Arsenal in their 1-1 draw on Sunday, but the many demons that haunt the club are still casting a long shadow over the famed Shankly Gates.

Despite all the doom and gloom that has surrounded the club, particularly this summer, hope is high at Anfield for the coming season. Rafael Benitez's departure may have left some fans thinking the club would then spiral uncontrollably, but if anything Roy Hodgson's signing as manager has actually helped quell those fears and install a new confidence that has been missing over the last 12 months.

English Premier League: Transfer Targets and Rumours For Every Team

With the international transfer window about to open on July 1, English Premier League teams up and down the country have been busy negotiating deals with new players in an effort at either spicing things up or improving their current squads. Here we look at some of the rumours doing the rounds.

Rafael Benitez Offered £3 Million to Resign, But Could Hold Out For More

Liverpool FC have moved swiftly to gain the moral high-ground by offering Rafael Benitez £3 million to resign and walk away quietly. Under the terms of his current contract Rafa would be due around £16m to £20m, if the club were to sack him...

Who Will Replace Rafael Benitez at Liverpool?

Liverpool are now out of all the domestic cups, out of the Champions League, and adrift in the Premiership. It looks as if Rafael Benitez will be replaced, but who is up to the task?

Manager of the Year 2008: Roy Hodgson

Exactly one year ago, Roy Hodgson took over as Fulham manager after Lawrie Sanchez's ill fated run. The team were in disarray and were conceding goals at an alarming rate and relegation looked a foregone conclusion. And just to rub salt in their wounds, Roy Hodgson found himself taking over on the verge of the crunch tie with Chelsea, a match that saw Fulham sink to even lower depths after a 2-1 defeat.

Move forward a year, and Fulham sit comfortably in mid-table. They are unbeaten in seven games, only Manchester United have conceded fewer goals and today they dealt a massive blow to Chelsea's title ambitions by claiming a 2-2 draw at Craven Cottage, a real fortress under Hodgson.