After only four matchweeks, several projects that entered the campaign surrounded by expectations are already facing their first questions. The upcoming weekend takes on even greater importance because it will be the last before a lengthy international break, and leaving a poor result on the table would mean spending weeks dealing with mounting pressure.
Five Premier League Managers Already Under Pressure
The season has only just begun, but patience has never been one of the Premier League’s greatest virtues.
Michael Carrick, Álvaro Arbeloa, Roberto De Zerbi, Frank Lampard and Andoni Iraola enter the weekend in different situations, but they all share the same need: to start turning encouraging signs into results.
Michael Carrick Needs an Immediate Response
Probably no manager enters the weekend surrounded by more noise than Michael Carrick.
The manager had restored optimism at Manchester United after recording 12 victories in 17 matches last season, finishing third in the Premier League and taking the club back to the UEFA Champions League.
The new campaign, however, has quickly changed the picture.
United has won only one of its first four league matches and is coming off a particularly painful elimination from the Carabao Cup. It led Brighton 2-0 after only 10 minutes at Old Trafford, but eventually lost 3-2. It was the club’s first home defeat after holding a two-goal advantage in 50 years.
“What concerns me is winning football matches and I think we will, but we have to do it pretty quickly,” Carrick acknowledged.
Now United visits Fulham at Craven Cottage. A victory would change the mood. Another setback would inevitably increase the questions surrounding his future during the international break.
Álvaro Arbeloa Is Still Searching for His First Victory
Interestingly, Manchester United’s opponent cannot afford many more setbacks either.
Álvaro Arbeloa took charge of the Fulham project during the summer, but he is still searching for his first Premier League victory. The Cottagers began with three defeats before collecting their first point with a draw at Anfield against Liverpool.
That result partially eased the pressure, and a victory over West Ham United in the Carabao Cup followed, but the situation in the league remains concerning.
The problem is not only about results. Arbeloa is still trying to find a structure that better suits the characteristics of his squad.
That is why the match against United carries an added dimension: two managers desperately needing a victory going head-to-head immediately before the break.
Roberto De Zerbi Cannot Get Tottenham Going
The situation at Tottenham Hotspur is even more surprising.
After an investment of more than £300 million during the summer, expectations were that the Spurs would finally move away from the positions that saw them finish 17th in the Premier League in two consecutive seasons.
Four matchweeks later, they are in exactly the same position.
Roberto De Zerbi’s team has yet to win a Premier League match and, even more concerning, has still not scored a goal. Elimination against Liverpool in the Carabao Cup only increased the doubts.
De Zerbi has already acknowledged the existence of a psychological block when it comes to scoring.
The match against Aston Villa represents a huge opportunity to break through that barrier before a poor run begins to turn into something much more difficult to control.
Frank Lampard Endures a Difficult Return
Returning to the top flight has not been easy for Frank Lampard either.
After leading Coventry City to the Championship title, the former midfielder returned to management in the Premier League with the challenge of keeping the Sky Blues among England’s elite.
The start has been extremely difficult.
Coventry City remains without a point in the league, while a 3-1 defeat against Aston Villa in the Carabao Cup did little to restore confidence.
For a newly promoted team, survival was always going to require patience, but collecting points as quickly as possible could make the difference between building confidence and spending virtually the entire season chasing the rest of the league.
Andoni Iraola Needs to Turn Draws Into Victories
Andoni Iraola’s situation is different.
Liverpool remains unbeaten in all competitions and advanced in the Carabao Cup, but it has won only one of its opening four Premier League matches. Three draws have slowed down a project that is still searching for consistency.
The schedule has also produced a particularly interesting reunion.
Iraola will return to the Vitality Stadium to face Bournemouth, the club where he built much of his reputation in England before taking over at Liverpool.
“I don’t know how I’m going to feel,” the Spaniard acknowledged before reuniting with several of his former players, although he made it clear that once the match begins, his only objective will be to win.
There is no crisis at Anfield yet, but a team accustomed to competing for the Premier League knows that too many draws can quickly create a difficult gap to overcome.
The season has only just begun, and none of these five managers will have their future decided by a single match.
But timing matters.
With an international break lasting several weeks ahead, winning would provide the opportunity to work in peace. Losing would allow the doubts to grow without an immediate match to provide an answer.
And in the Premier League, sometimes pressure moves much faster than the season itself.
