LONDON - Leicester boss Nigel Pearson says the start of the Premier League sacking season has not put him under any more pressure as he prepares for Saturday's FA Cup third round tie against managerless Newcastle.
Leicester City manager Nigel Pearson looks on ahead of the English Premier League match against West Ham at the Boleyn Ground, on December 20, 2014
Pearson's side will hope to take advantage of the uncertainty created by Newcastle manager Alan Pardew's imminent switch to Crystal Palace when the Magpies visit the King Power Stadium.
Pardew had the opportunity to rejoin his former club after the Eagles sacked Neil Warnock in the first English top-flight dismissal this season.
Warnock's exit from Selhurst Park was followed almost immediately by the removal of Alan Irvine at West Bromwich Albion and Pearson appears to be the next boss under threat with his side bottom of the league and four points from safety.
"Unfortunately before Christmas there were none and now there are several (managerial) changes," Pearson said.
"Football has been blighted with too many changes - this season has been slightly different, but one goes and it seems to be a signal for changes.
"All I can do is focus on our own situation. I will always do the job I feel is correct for us but it is inevitable as a manager you will lose your job."
Also in Saturday's third round action, Tony Pulis, who replaced Irvine at West Brom, will look to avoid an embarrassing start to his reign when the Baggies host non-league Gateshead.
- Cup final rematch -
Improbably, the very first tie out of the hat in December's draw, which took place in Hull, was a rematch of last season's final between Arsenal and Hull City.
Hull manager Steve Bruce, whose side lost 3-2 at Wembley last May, described the coincidence as "amazing", and it was to prove the first of no fewer than four final repeats.
Also on Sunday, Sunderland host Leeds United in a repeat of the 1973 final, when Don Revie's all-conquering Leeds were beaten 1-0 by second-tier Sunderland in a match remembered for a stunning double-save by Jimmy Montgomery.
At Turf Moor, Burnley and Tottenham Hotspur will face off in a remake of the 1962 final, which Spurs won 3-1 after a cagey encounter to defend the trophy they had lifted as part of the Double 12 months previously.
Liverpool travel to fourth-tier AFC Wimbledon on Monday in a tie that will rekindle memories of the 1988 final, when the original Wimbledon stunned the newly crowned league champions 1-0 in one of the competition's biggest upsets.
Wimbledon, dubbed the 'Crazy Gang', subsequently left south-west London and became the Milton Keynes Dons due to falling attendances and an inability to build a new stadium, with AFC Wimbledon formed by fans opposed to the move.
"It is one of the most important milestones in our development –- from finally getting out of the Ryman Premier League to getting the rights to our stadium," said Wimbledon chief executive Erik Samuelson.
"To be playing against a Premier League team for the first time –- it has to be up there with them."
Fixtures (1500 GMT unless otherwise stated)
Saturday:
Barnsley v Middlesbrough, Blyth Spartans v Birmingham City, Bolton Wanderers v Wigan Athletic, Brentford v Brighton and Hove Albion, Cambridge United v Luton Town, Charlton Athletic v Blackburn Rovers, Derby County v Southport, Doncaster Rovers v Bristol City, Fulham v Wolverhampton Wanderers, Huddersfield Town v Reading, Leicester City v Newcastle United, Millwall v Bradford City, Preston North End v Norwich City, Rochdale v Nottingham Forest, Rotherham United v Bournemouth, Tranmere Rovers v Swansea City, West Bromwich Albion v Gateshead
Sunday:
Arsenal v Hull City (1730 GMT), Aston Villa v Blackpool, Chelsea v Watford (1600 GMT), Dover Athletic v Crystal Palace (1300 GMT), Manchester City v Sheffield Wednesday, Queens Park Rangers v Sheffield United (1300 GMT), Southampton v Ipswich Town, Stoke City v Wrexham, Sunderland v Leeds United (1300 GMT), Yeovil Town v Manchester United (1530 GMT)
Monday:
AFC Wimbledon v Liverpool (1955 GMT), Burnley v Tottenham Hotspur (1945 GMT)
Tuesday (1945 GMT):
Everton v West Ham United