Will the extended break add pressure on struggling managers?
The Premier League's first international break of the season has stretched to three weeks, intensifying scrutiny on several managers including those at Fulham and Manchester United.
Two Premier League managers have already lost their jobs this season — Paul Heckingbottom at Preston North End and Michael Duff at Wycombe Wanderers. Now, as clubs head into an unusually long three-week international break, attention turns to other coaches under strain.
Fulham's Alvaro Arbeloa, appointed in the summer after a brief spell in charge of Real Madrid, is under early pressure with no wins and three defeats from his first four league games, amid reports of unease within the squad. Manchester United's Michael Carrick also faces scrutiny after Wednesday's League Cup exit to Brighton, in which United blew a two-goal home lead for the first time since 1976. United's only wins this season have come against Ipswich Town and Sabah.
History suggests caution
Data from the past decade shows clubs rarely change managers during international breaks themselves, particularly in September or October, when only two changes occurred in each window over ten years. November has historically been more common, with six managerial departures in the past decade. Still, by the second break of a typical season nine managers have already left their posts — a threshold not yet reached this year.
Former manager Tony Pulis said such breaks give clubs time to prepare and integrate a new manager, which is why they often precede changes. Pressure is also building elsewhere: Burnley's Nicky Hayen remains winless after eight matches since returning to the Premier League, while Watford's Alessio Dionisi and Crystal Palace's Pierre Sage have both had uneven starts to their tenures.
