Gary O’Neil becomes latest victim of Premier League sack spree after Wolves defeat

• Gary O'Neil has been sacked as Wolverhampton Wanderers manager after a poor start to the 2024/25 Premier League season
• Wolves sit 19th in the league table with only two wins from 16 games, compounded by a crushing 2-1 defeat to Ipswich Town
• Despite leading Wolves to safety last season, O’Neil’s defensive struggles and inconsistent results ultimately sealed his fate

Gary O’Neil’s tenure as Wolverhampton Wanderers head coach has come to an abrupt end after a poor start to the 2024/25 Premier League season following in the steps of Erik ten Hag and Steve Cooper. 

Wolves confirmed the sacking of the 41-year-old on Sunday afternoon, December 15 following a 2-1 home defeat to fellow strugglers Ipswich Town. The result left the club languishing in 19th place, four points above relegation safety, with just two wins in 16 league games.

O’Neil’s departure caps a tumultuous period for the former Bournemouth boss, who joined Wolves just days before the 2023/24 campaign began. Despite the challenging circumstances, O’Neil led the team to a respectable 14th-place finish last season. Notable victories over Manchester City, Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur, and local rivals West Bromwich Albion highlighted his potential, but this season’s form painted a different picture.

Saturday’s clash against Ipswich compounded Wolves’ struggles. An early own goal from Matt Doherty gave the visitors the lead, setting the atmosphere of the match for a nervy afternoon at Molineux. Matheus Cunha’s 72nd-minute equaliser briefly reignited hope, but Jack Taylor’s dramatic 94th-minute winner left the Wolves faithful reeling and sealed O’Neil’s fate.

In a post-match interview, O’Neil lamented his side’s costly errors, saying, 

“There were too many mistakes again from us, and we were punished for both of the real big mistakes. They’re mistakes that just can’t happen at this level.”

Chairman Jeff Shi acknowledged O’Neil’s contributions in a club statement, expressing gratitude for his efforts and wishing him well, 

“Gary took on a significant challenge and delivered a successful campaign last year, but results this season have fallen short of expectations,” Shi said.

Wolves’ defensive frailties proved their undoing, with the team conceding a staggering 40 goals in 16 games. Despite a brief resurgence in October, including draws against Brighton and Crystal Palace and wins over Southampton and Fulham, heavy defeats to Bournemouth and Everton preceded the Ipswich heartbreak.

The club now faces a critical decision in appointing a successor as they fight to avoid relegation. With Wolves’ proud Premier League status under threat due to several relegation survivals, the pressure is on to reverse their fortunes in the coming months.

Leicester City has sacked Wilfred Ndidi's manager Steve Cooper

Previously, TheRadar reported that Premier League side Leicester City have officially parted ways with manager Steve Cooper after just five months in charge, marking the second managerial sack in the Premier League this season. 

The announcement came after Leicester's 2-1 home defeat to Chelsea, managed by Cooper’s predecessor, Enzo Maresca.