Sheffield United sack Paul Heckingbottom: Does axing manager in relegation zone boost survival hopes?

Paul Heckingbottom guided Sheffield United back to the top flight by finishing second in the Championship last season; Blades sit bottom of the Premier League; Chris Wilder reappointed as manager on 18-month deal

Data and Analysis @AdamDatasmith

Tuesday 5 December 2023 13:42, UK

Sheffield United have sacked Paul Heckingbottom after a humiliating 5-0 defeat to fellow promoted side and relegation battlers Burnley — but does axing a manager boost hopes for survival?

Heckingbottom leaves the Blades rock-bottom of the table with just five points from 14 games — winning only one game, drawing two and losing 11.

The 46-year-old has become the first managerial casualty in the Premier League this season, which is rare at this stage of a campaign. For context, there were 14 managerial changes last term.

So, does sacking a manager while in the relegation zone boost the chances of survival come May?

Sky Sports scoured the archives to document every instance when teams have attempted exactly that, according to positions listed on Transfermarkt, and the eventual outcome to find out...

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In total, only 33 of 77 clubs survived after axing their manager in the drop zone — which equates to 43 per cent. That means clubs still have a 57-per-cent chance of relegation after axing a manager midseason.

All figures only include the first managerial change while in the relegation zone during respective seasons.

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Of course, there are several other factors to consider, such as the position of the club within the relegation zone and what period of the season the managerial