El Sackico: Will Frank or Nuno join Lampard, O’Neil and, well, Nuno among its victims?
Another weekend, another El Sackico. Last week, we suggested that West Ham v Forest might be the most beleaguered fixture in Barclays history. But this weekend, it's been immediately trumped by Tottenham v West Ham, a match that has become the most misery-addled fixture currently conceivable. It's prime El Sackico territory, and it feels impossible for both managers to emerge unscathed.
There's something fitting about it happening in the darkness of a 3pm blackout fixture. The execution will not be televised. But is El Sackico actually a real thing? We set out to find out, and our investigation revealed some fascinating insights.
El Sackico: Nuno's Tottenham 0-3 Solskjaer's Manchester United, October 2021
This appears to be the Patient Zero of El Sackico. The phrase itself has become a meme, with fans online dubbing the fixture 'El Sackico' due to the fate of managers Nuno Espirito Santo and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. In a poisonous atmosphere, Nuno's Tottenham slumped to a 3-0 defeat against a buoyed-up United team. Nuno's decision to withdraw Lucas Moura and bring on Steven Bergwijn was met with derision, and he was gone two days later after just 17 matches as Tottenham boss.
El Sackico: Moyes' West Ham 2-0 Lampard's Everton, January 2023
'Cruelly dubbed' El Sackico by the BBC's Simon Stone, this fixture saw two contrasting media darlings, David Moyes and Frank Lampard, face off. West Ham won the game straightforwardly, and Lampard's Everton side was already under pressure with owner Farhad Moshiri in attendance. Defeat at West Ham meant a run of one point in seven games for Everton, and Lampard was gone within 48 hours.
El Sackico: Lopetegui's West Ham 0-0 Dyche's Everton, November 2024
The key element here was timing. The last fixture before the November international break is a perfect time for El Sackico, as it allows for a last reasonably dignified time to make a move that can turn a season around. Both managers survived the interlull, but the axe fell on both of them in the space of 48 hours less than two months later.
El Sackico: Lopetegui's West Ham 2-0 O'Neil's Wolves, December 2024
There are patterns to El Sackico. West Ham, Wolves, and Jarrod Bowen are recurring elements. This fixture saw both teams in desperate need of a morale boost and looking to ease relegation fears. Wolves were in 19th place, and West Ham was five places better off, but the game ended in a bad-tempered draw.
El Sackico: Nuno's West Ham 1-2 Dyche's Nottingham Forest, January 2026
This fixture highlights the insanity of this season's managerial changes. Nuno Espirito Santo, who started the season as Forest manager, found himself at West Ham taking on his former club. Despite an initial lead, Forest came back to win, and West Ham found themselves ever more deeply mired in the relegation zone. As for Nuno, he has somehow survived and made it to the next El Sackico.
The Next El Sackico: Man United, February 2026
With all due respect to Nuno, looking ahead to the next El Sackico, a match against Man United three days after, feels like a long shot. But how safe can any manager truly be in Mr. Marinakis' lair? The next possible El Sackico is scheduled for Burnley in the first week of February.
