Hughes' future had been the subject of speculation for some time and the FA Cup third-round exit to League Two Coventry proved the final straw for the club's owners.

He became the seventh manager to lose his job in the Premier League this season, the most by this stage of the campaign since the 2007-08 season.

That year saw Jose Mourinho's first spell at Chelsea over by September, before Bolton and Tottenham sacked Sammy Lee and Martin Jol respectively in October.

November brought a host of changes, with Chris Hutchings axed by Wigan and Steve Bruce leaving Birmingham to replace him before Billy Davies lost his job at Derby.

Fulham parted company with Lawrie Sanchez just before Christmas, the seventh change of the season, and the eighth came on Jan. 9 when Newcastle sacked Sam Allardyce.

This season's sackings started early as Crystal Palace ended their association with Frank de Boer just four games in.

Leicester and Everton moved on from Craig Shakespeare and Ronald Koeman in October, November brought the end for Slaven Bilic at West Ham and Tony Pulis at West Brom, and Swansea sacked Paul Clement in December before Hughes fell on Jan. 6.

Last season had witnessed only four changes by this point of the season, including Francesco Guidolin and Bob Bradley at Swansea -- though a remarkable eight teams had begun the season under new management compared to the end of the previous campaign.

There were five changes up to and including January in 2015-16 and six in both 2013-14 and 2008-09.