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We haven't quite reached 'El Sackico' territory yet, but the importance of Saturday's Premier League clash between Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur for both managers cannot be ignored.
It's a showdown between two struggling clubs, as Michael Carrick's 12th-placed Red Devils host Roberto De Zerbi's bottom-dwelling Lilywhites.
Both sides have found it difficult to shake off mediocrity and outright dysfunction for much of their recent histories, even if Man Utd haven't yet plummeted to the depths Spurs flirted with last campaign.
Yet there's a feeling that the Red Devils, despite the promising run under Carrick in the second half of last season, are simply caught in a painfully familiar cycle that will eventually end with another managerial departure.
As for Spurs ... well, they're just searching for something to hold onto.
Is Carrick's Job Seriously Under Threat?
Carrick was defiant in dismissing sacking speculation before the international break, calling it "nonsense." But that was prior to Man Utd's draw at Craven Cottage, a tepid display barely rescued by Matheus Cunha's late deflected effort.
It was a showing that drew sharp, hyperbolic backlash from prominent Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville, who claimed Man Utd's early second-half display against Fulham was the "worst 15 minutes" he had ever witnessed from a Red Devils side.
Neville's criticism centered on the lack of effort and intensity from Carrick's players, lambasting their energy levels while they sat in a zonal 4-4-2 mid-block. But Man Utd's passive out-of-possession approach is by design. Carrick is zigging while the rest of the division zags, eschewing man-to-man pressing in favor of a more structured defensive shape rather than the high-intensity duels that dominate elsewhere.
As Michael Cox highlighted in a piece for The Athletic, league leaders Man City rank alongside the Red Devils with the joint-fewest high-speed runs and sprints. Liverpool and City have also covered less ground than United across five matches. More running doesn't automatically translate to better performances.
Still, the influence Neville and his peers have in shaping public perception shouldn't be underestimated. They carry enormous sway. While many felt Neville's critique was excessive, such commentary can plant seeds of unrest, even if only indirectly.
Modern managers have an increasingly short shelf life, with results expected from day one. Clubs are desperate to find their own Jürgen Klopp or Mikel Arteta, yet so often lack the patience to allow a project to develop. Everyone wants instant gratification.
And the role Carrick has taken on demands success. "This is Manchester United Football Club we're talking about here." His impressive stint as interim manager was built on a pragmatic approach that allowed United's standout player, Bruno Fernandes, to thrive. He didn't reinvent the wheel, nor should anyone expect him to. It worked. No Premier League side accumulated more points after Carrick's appointment last season than the Red Devils.
Ultimately, he's a victim of inflated expectations that may be unfair, regardless of the stature of the club he manages. His first full season in charge was always going to present greater challenges with a heavier fixture schedule, having previously benefited from free midweeks during the second half of last term.
INEOS rebuilt his midfield shrewdly, but was enough done over the summer to compete seriously across multiple fronts? There are defensive vulnerabilities, and Carrick is struggling to find the right attacking formula without Benjamin Šeško.
Fresh problems appear to be emerging week by week, but Carrick has earned the right to be given the opportunity to address them. A defeat here, however, and there's little question that Eddie Howe, lurking like the Grim Reaper, will sense it's time to come knocking on Manchester United's door.
When Will Spurs' Season Ignite?
Ange Postecoglou may have delivered one of the finest moments in Spurs' recent history, but at what price? By prioritizing Europa League progress over Premier League results, he paradoxically conditioned the club to accept defeat. It became routine.
The decision to part ways in the wake of Bilbao, paving the way for Thomas Frank, proved to be a costly mistake, yet many at the time understood the reasoning behind it. Postecoglou was unlikely to ever build something sustainable long-term, even if he was among the rare few who genuinely seemed to grasp what it meant to manage Tottenham Hotspur.
The scale of their collapse last season left an embattled and unpopular hierarchy feeling they had little option but to hand Roberto De Zerbi the reins. It required a substantial salary and near-total control for the Italian to accept the position, but it did bear fruit. Spurs remain a Premier League club as a result.
Yet by aligning themselves with the volatile De Zerbi, questions have re-emerged about Spurs' long-term direction.
Eager to erase the memories of last season's nightmare, a record outlay was made to reshape De Zerbi's squad, ostensibly in his mold. Expectations soared, with virtually nobody anticipating a repeat of last season's struggles. "They've got too many quality players," optimists insisted.
That may well be true, but De Zerbi's recruitment choices have proven problematic thus far. Mateus Fernandes is not a natural No. 10, and he's unlikely to unlock the best from Omar Marmoush on the left flank.
They've shown glimpses of promise in between the boxes, but it's at both ends of the pitch where Spurs have truly struggled. They didn't register their first Premier League goals of the season until Matchday 4, by which point De Zerbi's side were already 3–0 down to an Aston Villa side boasting a revamped core.
Underlying statistics at least hint at improvement. Spurs haven't been as poor as their league position implies. According to FotMob's expected points table, the Lilywhites should be four points better off in 15th. It's far from ideal, but it does suggest a degree of bad luck.
De Zerbi admitted after his side's Carabao Cup exit at Anfield that he's still waiting for his costly, revamped squad to "click," and there is a belief that once a few pieces fall into place, Spurs will find their rhythm.
However, fixtures at Old Trafford and Stamford Bridge make for a daunting October, and should the struggles that defined their opening month continue, supporters will inevitably fear a repeat of last season's slide toward the bottom.
The unwavering confidence in the manager that so many held at the end of May will certainly be tested.