“Five more years,” they chanted. “Five more years.”

The schadenfreude of Manchester City fans at Old Trafford last weekend was unconfined.

Joy at their opponent’s misery!

Just as it had been for the travelling Kop a fortnight earlier.

The ‘lyrics’ are a serious upgrade from the original, “You’re getting sacked in the morning”.

It’s often heard in derbies when one team is so bad, opposing fans want its manager to stay.

So, it’s more than a little ironic that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has kept his job while all about him are losing theirs.

Of the five English Premier League (EPL) bosses to fall, perhaps only Norwich’s Daniel Farke was more deserving of the axe than the Norwegian.

Nuno Espiritu Santo (Spurs), Steve Bruce (Newcastle), Dean Smith (Aston Villa) and Xisco Munoz (Watford) could all complain of being the victim of trigger-happy owners.

After a Covid-induced lull, these are dangerous times for managers: they are convenient fall-guys, human punch-bags, sacrificial lambs.

Good thing they are well-rewarded.

As well as being an autumn of long knives, it’s been open season for Manchester United bashing.

But such is the volatility of football today that all fans – even those of City and Liverpool – are right to enjoy their days in the sunshine while they last.

When it comes to managers, City and Liverpool are beacons of steadfastness in a sea of vulnerability.

Both Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp are on long contracts that have twice been renewed. Of course, the stability of their tenures is down to success on the field.

But neither will last forever.

Guardiola has renewed until 2023 when he may take a sabbatical while Klopp has an extra season before he may well opt for a similar break in 2024.

It’s not inconceivable that one or both could return to their clubs, but it’s considered unlikely.

The end of their respective eras is something both sets of fans are yet to get their heads around.

Like death, they know it’s coming, but don’t want to spoil the good times by thinking about it.

The lifespan of all but the top football managers is now comparable with sky-divers and human shields for tin-pot dictators. They are human shields.

Nuno took Wolves from the depths of the second tier to Europe, but 17 games and a jeering crowd were enough for Spurs.

The fans jeered chairman Daniel Levy too but it was Nuno who took the bullet.

The concentration of wealth in few clubs has meant that only a handful of managers can be successful in the higher echelons of the game. Hence the current shortage.

Since Antonio Conte joined Spurs that cupboard is now bare. In fact, Spurs acted swiftly because they thought Conte might go to United.

The impatience of owners has meant that of the many good managers around, few get the chance to become great.

Smith was sacked by Villa just over a year after presiding over a 7-2 win over Liverpool who were reigning champions at the time.

And after winning promotion and having to sell his best player (Jack Grealish) to City.

Another sign of the times is that Villa have signed Steven Gerrard to replace him even though Gerrard is a rookie compared to Smith’s three decades in the game.

But as a Liverpool legend, Gerrard is a big name that turned the heads of the owners and has done well in his first job at Rangers.

He has his sights set on succeeding Klopp and a couple of seasons at another big club in the EPL would be a convenient stepping stone to Anfield.

Another celebrated star, Frank Lampard, may get the Norwich job while Wayne Rooney is still doing the hard yards at Derby.

All are hellbent on disproving the old adage that great players don’t make great managers.

But even a name cannot guarantee a pathway to managerial success as Lampard well knows.

A slow start to last season did that for him at Chelsea and in came experienced Thomas Tuchel.

The German made an immediate impact winning the Champions League and is top of the table, but he’s well aware that he has to stay there.

Roman Abramovich has had 14 managers in 18 years but feels that 16 major trophies justify the means. Volatility, it seems, can be successful.

Even three-managers-a-season Watford claim they’re enjoying one of the club’s finest eras as a result.

Manchester United are paying a high price for going against the current tide.

The dearth of big names forced Newcastle’s new owners to choose Eddie Howe who has been out of work since he quit Bournemouth.

Having taken the Cherries from near oblivion and up three divisions, he knows the meaning of the long haul.

You wouldn’t put your house on him getting it. But at least he’ll be able to buy a big one if he doesn’t.

The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of FMT.