Despite these damaging facts boss Roberto Martinez appears to be safe. The Spaniard’s odds are still relatively long for a man in his position – 12/1 to be the Next Premier League Manager To Be Sacked – and he is fortunate that he has a very loyal chairman in Dave Whelan who has consistently backed his under-fire manager. Martinez’s decision to stay at Wigan in the summer, despite a very tempting offer from Aston Villa, will always be remembered by both the supporters and Whelan.

On Monday night Wigan fell to their twelfth defeat of the season as they were narrowly beaten by the league leaders Man City. It was a brave and battling performance by Wigan but, as has been the case this season, one that ultimately ended in defeat. This is the Latics seventh straight season in England’s top flight but they are now in real danger of dropping into the Championship at the end of the season, with the bookmakers’ installing them as the favourites to get relegated. Despite the pressure and poor results Martinez has stuck with his free-flowing style of football. However, as we enter into the business end of the season he must now figure out a way of grinding out results.

Their next match is away to QPR, a game that pits together the two out of form sides in the league. QPR have slipped into the relegation zone following a woeful run of nine games without a win, with seven of those matches ending in defeat. Wigan comfortably beat QPR back in August but they will face a much stiffer challenge this time, with the hosts eager to impress new boss Mark Hughes. Stan James have installed QPR as the 10/11 favourites for the win, while Wigan can be backed at 16/5, with a draw priced at 12/5.

Odds courtesy of Stan James.

Neither club could be in worse form as they prepare for the pivotal encounter. Wigan picked up five points from their opening three matches but have since been on a woeful run of eight straight defeats. With just a solitary win this season the Latics are rock-bottom of the Premier League with a mere five points from 11 matches. Similarly, Blackburn only have a single league win to their name since the season kicked off back in August, and they are without a victory in six league games. Rovers’ away form makes for equally dire reading with only one victory from their last 14 league matches on the road.

Rovers boss Steve Kean has suffered a severe fans backlash in recent weeks, with some disgruntled supporters going as far as flying a plane over Ewood Park with the sign attached: “Steve Kean Out”. As has been the case for near enough the whole season Kean is the bookmakers’ favourite in the Next Premier League Manager To Be Sacked betting market, with odds of 5/4 to get the chop with Paddy Power. A defeat on Saturday would surely spell the end of a torrid 11 months in charge of the Lancashire club.

Eight straight defeats has seen Roberto Martinez's odds cut to 4/1

Wigan manager Roberto Martinez has seen his odds dwindle in the last month or so and he is now the second favourite manager to depart with odds of 4/1. However, the Italian finds himself in a unique position. Any other manager who had overseen eight straight defeats would almost certainly be sacked but not every manager has Dave Whelan as their chairman. Whelan is currently showing tremendous loyalty towards his manager – as Martinez did during the summer when he turned down Aston Villa and signed a new contract – but if Wigan keep on losing then surely there will come a time when enough is enough. If Wigan were to lose Martinez’s 100^th match in charge on Saturday then who knows what might happen.

The corresponding fixture last season was a seven-goal thriller with Wigan coming out on top 4-3. Since 2005 Blackburn have the better head-to-head record with seven wins out of 12 matches, with Wigan posting three wins, and two games ending all square. However, the Latics have won three out of their last four home matches against Rovers, scoring a whopping 13 goals in the process.

Paddy Power have installed Wigan as the 6/4 favourites to break their barren run and win their first match since the tail end of August. While Blackburn can be backed at 15/8 to win their first league game since beating an out of form Arsenal over two months ago. With both sides unaccustomed to winning this season a draw may be the way to go at 9/4.

All odds provided by Paddy Power.

In Dave Whelan, Wigan have a very patient chairman that is reluctant to sack Managers without due care which is sure to ease the pressure slightly on Martinez, he is considered a good young Manager so is likely to be given a fair amount of time this season to turn results around at the DW Stadium. The bookmakers though are not so sure he will last too much longer with the Next Premier League Manager To Be Sacked Betting showing the Spaniard as the warm favourite to be next for the chop. It is a hot betting market for punters to get involved with and Martinez is the favourite for good reason, with that in mind he will be looking over his shoulder in the coming weeks and only wins will ease the pressure.

Further down the list of Managers in the danger zone there is some great value to be had with several Managers feeling the heat, the Merseyside pair of Roy Hodgson at Liverpool and David Moyes at Everton are by no means safe after difficult starts to the season and that is reflected in the betting. Moyes in particular is an interesting candidate with The Toffees sitting at the foot of the Premier League, most believe the Scot will turn it around pretty soon but there are no easy games anymore and the bookmakers have priced him accordingly.

It is impossible to have a look at this Betting market without having a close look at the goings on at Man City, the team have had a solid if unspectacular start to the season and Roberto Mancini will want to keep the club in the top four through the season and close to the top of the table. Anything outside of that will see the Italian come under pressure and we know that the hierarchy at City will have no hesitation in replacing Mancini if the team slip below expectations, that means he is always good value in this betting market and that remains true today.

NEXT PREMIER LEAGUE MANAGER TO BE SACKED ODDS WITH VCBet.com – 01/10/2010

R Martinez – 2/1
A Grant – 11/4
C Hughton – 7/1
R Mancini – 8/1
R Hodgson – 8/1
D Moyes – 9/1
A McLeish – 14/1
R Di Matteo – 16/1
M McCarthy – 20/1
M Hughes – 20/1
I Holloway – 20/1
S Bruce – 22/1
S Allardyce – 25/1
G Houllier – 25/1
O Coyle – 33/1
T Pulis – 33/1
No Manager To Leave Post – 33/1
H Redknapp – 50/1
C Ancelotti- 66/1
Sir A Ferguson – 66/1
A Wenger – 66/1

Market supplied by Victor Chandler

Martinez will know that if his Wigan team struggle at the start of the season then they will find themselves playing catch up right until  May, they don’t have the strongest squad on paper and any loss in confidence could prove fatal for their Premier League stay. In truth Wigan have done well to stay in the Premier League as long as they have and Martinez will have done well if he does manage to extend their stay for another season, the Spaniard is considered a bright young talent in Management and this could be the toughest challenge of his short career so far.

The bookmakers have certainly been keeping a close eye on the DW Stadium and Martinez is now the clear favourite in the Next Premier League Manager To be Sacked Betting, his odds have been slashed by Ladbrokes over the weekend and he will know that a win needs to be forthcoming sooner rather than later. It will not be easy for Martinez though as he takes his side to Spurs on Saturday, this is the scene of their 9-1 demolition last season so the fixture list is not being kind to them.  That is the reason why the Blackpool defeat was so important and they are now left chasing their tails over the next few weeks, Dave Whelan has proved himself a patient chairman in recent years but he will be keeping a close eye on the situation and the performance of Roberto Martinez in particular.

There was speculation earlier in the season linking Martinez to a return to Spain and Espanyol and a defeat here could well weaken his position at Wigan, those reports were played down by the Spaniard but he knows he must keep Athletic in the top flight this season. He is a bright young Manager and Dave Whelan is known to stick by his Managers which is a good sign for Martinez but he will be looking over his shoulder somewhat with all the teams down there scrapping for their lives. The bookmakers have been watching the events at the DW Stadium very closely all season and the Next Premier League Manager To Be Sacked Odds are telling punters that Roberto Martinez is in trouble, he maybe very good value in this market with the relegation battle hotting up but a win against Liverpool could change all of that.

The match against Liverpool will be the first at the Stadium with a new pitch relaid over the last week, ironically though this could have an adverse affect against a good footballing side like Liverpool. The DW stadium turf has turned into a mud bath in recent weeks which may have helped Wigan against the top sides but that will no longer be the case, a new carpet has been laid which will be easier to play a good style of passing football on. Liverpool themselves are desperate for the three points on offer as they bid to resurrect their season by claiming that 4th spot on offer, they are in a four-way battle with Spurs, Man City and Aston Villa for that crucial money spinning league position.

This match could have a big affect on both ends of the table with the two Managers in for a squeaky bum night at the DW Stadium, Roberto Martinez in particular knows that defeat here will see Wigan slip further towards the trap door and a relgation dog fight.