New campaigns bring hope but sometimes clubs act swiftly when early results or boardroom disputes threaten momentum. The following cases record the earliest managerial departures in Premier League history, ranked by games played at the opening of a season.

Watford, 2018–19 — Games lasted: 4, Date sacked: September 4
Gracia began 2018–19 with four wins from four and a third-place position. The side finished the season in 11th after being seventh as late as Gameweek 34 and suffered a joint-biggest FA Cup final defeat to Manchester City. The club dismissed him four games into the next season after Watford had taken just one point. Still, he lasted longer than most.

Bournemouth, 2021–22 — Games lasted: 4, Date sacked: August 30
Parker had secured promotion to the Premier League three times as a manager but struggled to establish a top-flight methodology. His tenure ended after a 9–0 defeat at Anfield, the joint-heaviest loss in Premier League history.

Newcastle United, 2004–05 — Games lasted: 4, Date sacked: August 30
Sir Bobby Robson was dismissed 16 days into the season amid reported player discontent. Former chairman Freddy Shepherd likened sacking Robson to “shooting Bambi.”

Manchester City, 1993–94 — Games lasted: 4, Date sacked: August 26
Player-manager Reid was dismissed 12 days into the campaign after City earned a single point from their first four fixtures, and the fast start by champions Manchester United across town convinced the club to act.

Nottingham Forest, 2025–26 — Games lasted: 4, Date sacked: September 9
Nuno, who returned European football to the City Ground for the first time in almost 30 years and led Forest to a seventh-place finish in 2024–25, left after a summer of unrest following Evangelos Marinakis’s appointment of Edu Gaspar as Global Head of Football. The manager and the new executive reportedly fell out and were not on speaking terms. The club went on to appoint Ange Postecoglou.

Earlier and shorter spells include Tottenham Hotspur in 1998–99, Newcastle United in 2008–09 and 1997–98, and West Ham United in 2008–09, where managers left within the first three games of those campaigns. “And even Christian Gross…”, the draft of that era summed up the uncertainty in north London.

Ange Postecoglou has agreed to become the new manager of Nottingham Forest, according to a report.

The decision follows the dismissal of Nuno after just three games of the current season. Nuno went public with his concerns and is understood to have frustrated owner Evangelos Marinakis, who made the call to relieve his manager of his duties.

Former Tottenham Hotspur boss Postecoglou was quickly touted as a possible replacement for Nuno and The Athletic have now revealed an agreement has been reached to bring the Australian back to the Premier League with Forest. An announcement is expected soon and the plan is for Postecoglou to be in the dugout when Forest return to action against Arsenal at the weekend.

Postecoglou left Spurs during the summer after a disastrous domestic campaign which, in the eyes of club officials, could not be redeemed even by the Europa League triumph. Spurs finished 17th in the Premier League standings but Postecoglou, who was battling significant injuries for a large portion of the campaign, still retained the public faith of a number of his top players.

Should he return to Forest as expected, Postecoglou will add to his 76 games as a Premier League manager, in which he has recorded 31 wins, 11 draws and 34 losses.

Arsenal will undoubtedly provide a stern test for Postecoglou upon his return to the English top flight. An indifferent start to the season has already left Forest fans eager for improvement; the club has taken four points from three games. The incoming manager will face immediate pressure to lift results and steady a team desperate for progress.

Nottingham Forest have confirmed the dismissal of Nuno Espírito Santo just three games into the 2025/26 Premier League season.

“Nottingham Forest Football Club confirms that, following recent circumstances, Nuno Espírito Santo has today been relieved of his duties as Head Coach,” the club said in a statement.

“The Club thanks Nuno for his contribution during a very successful era at the City Ground, in particular his role in the 2024/25 season, which will forever be remembered fondly in the history of the club. As someone who played a pivotal role in our success last season, he will always hold a special place in our journey.”

The decision follows a turbulent off-season. After a standout 2024/25 campaign, the relationship between Nuno and owner Evangelos Marinakis “drastically deteriorated,” a situation the manager himself admitted during a stunning press conference. Reports also linked a major clash between Nuno and the club’s new global head of football, Edu Gaspar, who arrived at the City Ground after spending half a decade as Arsenal’s first-ever technical director.

Despite the speculation surrounding his future, Nuno remained in charge for Forest’s opening three fixtures of the new season, collecting four points from those matches before the club moved to relieve him of his duties.

Nuno’s record at the club stands at 73 games, with 32 wins, 26 losses and 15 draws. The club’s statement paid tribute to his role in the recent success and acknowledged the lasting impression of the 2024/25 season on Forest’s history.

The timing of the decision and the internal disagreements make this one of the most significant managerial departures as the Premier League campaign begins. Nottingham Forest now face the immediate task of appointing a replacement to steer the team through the early stages of the season.