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Was Pearson sacked and re-hired?

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On Sunday evening reports from various sources suggested Leicester City had sacked manager Nigel Pearson. But hours later, conflicting stories came from the City camp that previous rumours about Pearson’s position were incorrect. The club even released a statement denying the sacking of the 51-year-old, but the wording of message to the fans suggested there was more to the story than a mistranslation.

“Leicester City Football Club would like to clarify its position relative to its manager, Nigel Pearson. Contrary to media speculation on Sunday evening, Nigel remains the Club’s First Team Manager. Reports to the contrary are inaccurate and without foundation. Nigel, his staff and the first team squad are entirely focused on Tuesday night’s trip to Arsenal and our continued efforts to secure our position in the Barclays Premier League,” said the statement.

Hardly denying that Pearson could have been sacked on Sunday, and reinstated following talks or a change of heart by the club, something Match of the Day presenter Gary Lineker alluded to on Twitter, saying: “If I was (a fountain of knowledge) I’d tell you that (Nigel Pearson) was sacked by one of the owners’ family and reinstated by another, but then I’m not.”

It’s been a troublesome Premier League campaign for Leicester City and Nigel Pearson, with the Foxes having lost 15 of their 24 games played. They sit bottom of the table as a result of their poor form, and most recently lost a relegation six-pointer against Crystal Palace.

The City boss was involved in an altercation with Palace midfielder James McCarthur, which show the manager wrestling and tugging on the shirt of the Scot. When asked about why he reacted heavily, Pearson replied: “Because he said something to me. I don’t have to reveal anything, do I? I’m more than capable of looking after myself. There’s no problem with the player.

Earlier this season Pearson was given a touchline ban and fine for telling a Leicester supporter to “f*** off and die,” so he’s certainly not short of controversy.

It seemed as if the owners had washed their hands of Pearson following yet another loss and incident further tarnishing the club’s name, which led to a sacking by one of the Thai family. A u-turn was then alleged to have occurred which saw Leicester release the statement denying any sacking.

“If I have got things to say I will say it in the appropriate manner to the appropriate people. I don’t think I’ve been in a position where I speak too openly about what goes on in internal workings. I’ve always had a good working relationship with the owners and I’m sure I will moving forward. You are never going to have a situation at any football club where things are entirely going the way you want all the time,” said Pearson on Monday.

Almost an admission that talks between him and the hierarchy didn’t go well, while hinting towards the prospect of a sacking too, but what really did happen on Sunday at Leicester City?

Will Nigel Pearson be the first Premier League sacking of the season?

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Leicester City are having a torrid time of late. The Foxes are bottom of the Premier League table after 14 games, and manager Nigel Pearson has landed himself in hot water after an altercation with a supporter. They recently lost a relegation six-pointer against fellow strugglers Queens Park Rangers at the end of November, which saw them drop to the foot of the table, and their subsequent defeat to Liverpool has many tipping them for the drop.

City are winless in their last nine Premier League games, losing seven and drawing two. They have failed to score in six of their nine outings, and have the second-worst defence in the division. While expected to struggle after their promotion from the Championship, the Midlands club broke their transfer record this summer so the overseers were certainly expecting more of a fight to stay in the division.

When things aren’t going for you on the pitch, the last thing a manager wants to do is alienate themselves from the supporters, and the recent incident between Pearson and the unhappy fan threatens to boil over into something serious. The City boss was quoted as saying: “’I replied to one idiot in the stands and if he doesn’t like what he sees, then don’t bother coming.”

The club’s supporters’ trust have demanded an apology from Pearson, and it’s perhaps unsurprising that odds on him to be the next manager sacked have been slashed overnight. Leicester City have a very ambitious owner in Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, who wants the club to become an elite Premier League side chasing for a European place in the future.

“It will take a huge amount of money, possibly (£180m), to get (into Europe). That doesn’t put us off. I am asking for three years, and we’ll be there. We won’t take the huge leap to challenge the league’s top five clubs immediately. I think we need to establish our foothold in the league first and then we think about our next step,” he said back in May following promotion to the top flight.

The Foxes chairman certainly won’t want to see the club at the bottom of the table, and if the relationship continues to sour between Nigel Pearson and the supporters, coupled with poor results on the pitch, he will have little choice but to part company. So could the 51-year-old find himself as the first Premier League manager sacked this season?