The 2015-16 campaign has only been up and running for seven weeks, but already, a number of managers find themselves under pressure to keep their job ahead of the next international break.
The managers potentially facing the sack range from bosses at clubs expected to mount title challenges to teams not meeting their mid-table demands, but either way, results must improve during the next two weeks or they could find themselves out of work.
Below, Sports Mole assesses the ongoing situations of five managers who have failed to impress so far.
1. Brendan Rodgers
During the summer, Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers was provided with the funds to try to transform a squad that had under-performed throughout the previous campaign, but with the Merseyside giants only winning two of their eight matches in all competitions, the pressure on the Northern Irishman has intensified, with the club's hierarchy said to be discussing a change in the dugout.
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Some may have sympathy with Rodgers, who almost guided Liverpool to the Premier League title in 2014 and has been hindered by injuries to leading marksman Daniel Sturridge, but after spending in the region of £200m - money partly generated from the sales of Luis Suarez and Raheem Sterling - he can have few complaints should he be replaced in the next few weeks.
As far as his recent Premier League record is concerned, Rodgers has seen his team register just 16 points from their last 15 fixtures - form that would not be considered good enough for a team with ambitions of finishing in the top 12, never mind top four - and unless Liverpool can defeat Aston Villa and Sion in convincing fashion and come out on top in the derby at Everton, either Carlo Ancelotti or Jurgen Klopp could be appointed as his replacement, if reports are to be believed.
2. Dick Advocaat
When Sunderland announced that Dick Advocaat had agreed to remain at the Stadium of Light for another season, his appointment was greeted with wholehearted approval at the Stadium of Light, but over the course of eight games, he has moved ever nearer to becoming the first Premier League manager to be sacked this season.
After making five significant signings during the summer, helping Sunderland to the great escape during the final eight fixtures of the last campaign has long been forgotten and it is becoming increasingly likely that he will eventually be replaced. Sunderland's only victory this season has come against Exeter City in the League Cup, and even that game proved to be a rollercoaster for Advocaat, who witnessed his team prevail 6-3 against the League Two outfit.
Fixtures against Manchester United and West Ham United are not ideal ahead of the international break, but simply put, Advocaat needs a win. While it is unlikely that they will achieve a result at Old Trafford, the crunch game could come against away-day specialists West Ham, but if Sunderland remain on two points after eight games, expect a change to be made during the two-week break.
3. Steve McClaren
After Steve McClaren marked his arrival at St James' Park with the signings of Georgino Wijnaldum, Florian Thauvin and Aleksandar Mitrovic, there was every expectation that the Magpies would begin to produce the kind of exciting, free-flowing football that made the club so popular during the nineties. However, it has not turned out that way for McClaren, who is facing a backlash from the club's supporters after just seven games in charge.
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During their winless run, Newcastle have managed to register a goalless draw away at Manchester United, but it is their lack of goals that is most concerning. They have found the back of the net on just one occasion since August 8, and after they were ineffective in the final third against Sheffield Wednesday in the League Cup, despite facing what was effectively an Owls reserve side, McClaren has admitted that they are close to a crisis.
It remains to be seen how long the former Derby County boss will be given to record his first win. Newcastle host Chelsea and travel to Manchester City before the international break and it would be unfair on McClaren should he be judged on their points return from those two games. On the other hand, McClaren would give himself more time should he secure a surprise result against either of the big-hitters, with three points potentially getting the ball rolling for a team who should be targeting mid-table at the very least.
4. Terry Butcher
At the end of last season, Newport County acted swiftly to appoint Terry Butcher as their new manager in the hope of starting the next campaign on the front foot and looking to build on their ninth-place finish in League Two, but it has been seven weeks to forget for the former England defender, who is yet to see his team record a victory in 10 attempts.
The Welsh club have performed better than their results suggest. They were unfortunate to bow out of the cup competitions to Wolverhampton Wanderers and Swindon Town respectively, and four of their six league defeats have come by the solitary goal. They also recorded just their second point of the season against Dagenham & Redbridge last weekend to suggest that an improvement in results is just around the corner.
However, with the club already sitting four points adrift of safety and just five goals being scored in eight games, Butcher will know that he is close to being on the chopping block unless Newport can defeat either Carlisle United or Crawley Town, the team who join them in the relegation zone. Losing to Crawley could potentially leave the club with no option but to replace Butcher, who has only emerged victorious six times in 39 games since leaving Inverness Caledonian Thistle for Hibernian in 2013.
5. David Moyes
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After Real Sociedad succumbed to a last-minute winner against Espanyol, reports suggested that David Moyes's 10-month spell in La Liga was about to come to an end. The Scot had recorded just 10 wins in 35 matches, and although he had only suffered 11 defeats, the feeling was that the club were keen to go in a different direction.
However, on Tuesday night, Moyes earned a stay of execution as Sociedad comfortably defeated Granada by a 3-0 scoreline. Much will be made of Granada possessing the worst defensive record in the league, but three days earlier, they had only conceded one goal at the Bernabeu against Real Madrid.
Will the result be enough to satisfy the Sociedad faithful? Only time will tell, but Moyes needs to find a long-term solution for his team's lack of goals. Only losing 11 times in 36 matches is admirable, but for a club who have fallen from fourth to 12th over the course of two years, that return is not enough, and Moyes requires another three points against either Athletic Bilbao or Malaga if he is to give himself some breathing space.
Darren Plant
