El Sackico Returns: Can Frank or Nuno Survive the Curse That's Already Claimed Lampard, O'Neil, and Nuno?

Another fortnight, another potential managerial bloodbath on the horizon.

Just when we thought West Ham versus Forest might hold the dubious distinction of being the Premier League's most calamitous fixture, along comes Tottenham taking on West Ham this weekend to wrestle that crown away. With both Thomas Frank and Nuno Espirito Santo clinging to their posts by their fingernails, it genuinely feels like neither can possibly emerge from this encounter without serious damage to their tenure.

The fixture carries the ominous nickname "El Sackico"—and it's earned that title through a trail of managerial casualties. But does the curse actually exist, or are we just seeing patterns where none truly lie? Let's dig through the evidence.

Where It All Began: Tottenham 0-3 Manchester United, October 2021

This appears to be ground zero for El Sackico. Both Nuno and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer were under intense scrutiny heading into that encounter at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The atmosphere was poisonous, with supporters venting their frustrations at their own players—including a still-unsettled Harry Kane following his summer transfer saga.

Spurs were dreadful. A 3-0 thrashing saw Cristiano Ronaldo inspire United to victory, but the defining moment came when Nuno hauled off Lucas Moura in favour of Steven Bergwijn, a substitution so baffling it seemed to crystallise every doubt about the manager's judgment. The crowd's reaction was brutal.

Nuno departed just 48 hours later, having lasted just 17 matches in the job. Solskjaer's reprieve proved temporary—three weeks on, he too was gone.

The Lampard Reckoning: West Ham 2-0 Everton, January 2023

West Ham's victory here was straightforward enough, with Jarrod Bowen scoring twice in the first half to dismantle a lifeless Everton side. Yet the circumstances screamed impending doom for Frank Lampard. Farhad Moshiri, the Everton owner, had chosen this precise moment to attend his first away match in over a year, hovering like a spectre over proceedings at the London Stadium.

Lampard's position had already become untenable. Everton had managed just one point from their previous seven games, including five defeats in crucial relegation six-pointers. The manager was dismissed within 48 hours.

Moyes, meanwhile, insisted he retained board backing regardless of the result. He would go on to win the Conference League five months later, though his subsequent season proved far more contentious.

The Draw That Changed Nothing: West Ham 0-0 Everton, November 2024

Timing proved crucial here. Just before the November international break—that sweet spot when a managerial change can still feel like a measured response rather than pure panic—these two sides served up one of the worst matches in recent Premier League memory. A goalless draw kept both out of the bottom three but satisfied nobody.

Both Lopetegui and Dyche survived the break, yet it later emerged both clubs had seriously contemplated making moves. Within eight weeks, the axe fell on both within 48 hours of each other.

Wolves Woe: West Ham 2-0 Wolves, December 2024

This Monday-night fixture contained all the classic El Sackico ingredients: two desperate sides seeking salvation, both clubs desperate for a morale boost, both battling relegation anxieties. Wolves were deep in 19th place; West Ham weren't much better off.

The Hammers won 2-1 with goals from Tomas Soucek and Jarrod Bowen (again—he's becoming the fixture's unofficial mascot) sandwiching a Matt Doherty equaliser. A bad-tempered affair saw Mario Lemina scrap with Bowen and lose the captaincy in the process.

O'Neil hung on for one more week before Ipswich finished him off. Lopetegui lasted another month before his inevitable exit.

The Cruel Twist: West Ham 1-2 Nottingham Forest, January 2026

Here's where things became properly surreal. Nuno, who'd started the season managing Forest, now found himself at West Ham facing his former employers. Forest had already cycled through Ange Postecoglou and brought in Sean Dyche, who was already under pressure.

West Ham took the lead, and for a moment it seemed Dyche might become the third Forest manager discarded this season by cartoon villain Evangelos Marinakis. But Forest staged a stirring second-half comeback to claim a vital victory, condemning West Ham deeper into the bottom three.

It was West Ham's darkest moment of the campaign—or at least, it was at that point.

What Happens Next?

Nuno has somehow defied the odds to reach this weekend's Tottenham clash. Whether he can survive another Sackico encounter remains to be seen. His next potential danger zones are Chelsea (probably too early for sacking), Burnley in early February, and Manchester United three days after that.

As for Dyche at Forest, he's relatively secure for now. Though in Marinakis' domain, no manager can ever truly rest easy. Keep an eye on that Crystal Palace fixture on February 1st.

The curse, if it exists, isn't finished yet.