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SportsActive today · day 7

Fulham's Arbeloa and Man Utd's Carrick face mounting pressure before international break

With two Premier League managers already sacked this season, BBC Sport examines whether the extended three-week break will bring more changes.

newest coverage 2h agosummary written 4d ago78 pieces6 likes & upvotes NewswiresMastodonRedditGoogle News

What to know

  • Two managers — Paul Heckingbottom (Preston) and Michael Duff (Wycombe) — have already been sacked this season.
  • Fulham's Alvaro Arbeloa and Manchester United's Michael Carrick face the most immediate pressure heading into the break, after poor results including United's EFL Cup exit to Brighton.
  • Historical data over the past 10 years shows managerial sackings during September or October breaks are rare (two each), while November sees far more (six), suggesting change is more likely to come later even if pressure builds now.
  • The first international break is longer this year — three weeks instead of two — and comes later in the calendar, raising questions about whether the pattern will hold.

Alvaro ArbeloaAlvaro Arbeloa Fulham head coachMichael CarrickMichael Carrick Manchester United managerPaul Heckingbottom Former Preston North End managerMichael Duff Former Wycombe Wanderers managerTony Pulis Former Stoke, West Brom and Middlesbrough manager

Fulham's Arbeloa and Man Utd's Carrick face mounting pressure before international break
bbc.co.uk

How it unfolded 1 development · click the chart to see its coverage articlesposts

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Sep 18Sep 19Sep 20Sep 21Sep 22yesterdaynow · 3:47 AM ET
  1. 1

    BBC Sport assesses managerial pressure ahead of the break

    BBC Sport analysis, including comment from former manager Tony Pulis, examines historical patterns of sackings around international breaks and concludes changes are more likely to land in November than during the September pause, even as pressure mounts on Arbeloa and Carrick.

    “In my time, the October/November international breaks, the pause just after the Christmas period, and then early March would be the three sticking points for any manager who was struggling with results.”
    — Tony Pulis
    1. 5 outlets International break: Will the three-week interlude put more pressure on managers?

      first by Mastodon, 4d ago · also BBC Sport, BBC Football, Yahoo Sports, BBC

      2 more headlines
  2. background

    Brighton knock Manchester United out of EFL Cup 3-2 — United led by two goals at home and still lost, the first time that has happened to the club since a 1976 defeat to Tottenham, intensifying scrutiny on Carrick.

  3. background

    Arbeloa's Fulham start winless with unrest reports — Alvaro Arbeloa, appointed Fulham manager in the summer after a short Real Madrid spell, has no wins and three defeats in his first four Premier League matches, amid speculation of squad unrest.

  4. background

    Wycombe Wanderers sack manager Michael Duff — Duff's departure marks the second managerial sacking of the season, alongside Heckingbottom's at Preston.

  5. background

    Preston sack manager Paul Heckingbottom — Heckingbottom becomes one of two Premier League-tier managers to lose their job so far this season.

  6. background

    Manchester City beat 10-man Manchester United 1-0 — United's defeat to a reduced Manchester City side added to the pressure on manager Michael Carrick, whose only wins this season have come against Ipswich Town and Sabah.

Also covered reported alongside — the timeline has no entry for these yet

  1. 5 outlets How will clubs train during three-week international break?

    first by Yahoo Sports, 2d ago · also Sporting News, BBC, BBC Football, BBC Sport

    3 more headlines
  2. 4 outlets What have we learned from the Premier League season so far?

    first by BBC, 3d ago · also Yahoo Sports, BBC Football, BBC Sport

    2 more headlines
  3. 2 outlets ✈️Why this international break is the longest ever (and why that's a good thing)

    first by ESPN Soccer, 2d ago · also ESPN

    1 more headline
  4. 2 outlets Premier League first month overreactions: Man City unstoppable, United 'worst ever', Arsenal found out

    first by Sporting News, 1d ago · also Yahoo Sports

and 2 smaller pieces