There is no easy way to dismiss a manager mid-season. It is even harder to do so having spent most of the summer chasing transfer targets that align with their style of football.
This is exactly what Manchester United face with Erik ten Hag though. The club are still backing him but after over two years in charge, he now faces a week that could break it all, because even a good one offers little chance of total makeup just yet.
A trip to Porto in the Europa League - masters of the now notorious dark arts and novely tough to play against - and Premier League action at Aston Villa are certainly not the sort of games Ten Hag will have picked to face in such a pressurised week.
The time for complaints is long gone though. United and Ten Hag are up against it. READ MORE: United player ratings vs Tottenham READ MORE: United make Erik ten Hag sack decision after shocking Tottenham defeat The brief period of respite - headlined by 10 goals in two matches against Southampton and Barnsley - has made way for no win in three and genuine cause for concern of disaster.