Michael Carrick’s start has become harder to defend after Manchester United’s latest setback at Old Trafford, with the manager now matching a sequence the club had not seen since the early part of the century.

United have never gone nine matches without a win since 2000, but Carrick has now equalled the eight-game stretch previously recorded by Louis van Gaal between November and December 2015. That run remains a familiar reference point, not least because Van Gaal kept his job despite it.

The Dutchman’s sequence ended with a 0-0 draw against Chelsea, a result that appeared to buy him more time. He then opened 2016 with a 2-1 victory over Swansea City, a result that helped him see out the season. Whether Carrick receives the same patience is now the central question.

United’s next fixture is another meeting with Chelsea, and it arrives at a moment when the club need something to shift quickly. The Blues’ performance against Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday was described as awful, which at least leaves open the possibility of a much-needed response from Carrick’s side.

The wider picture is bleak. As the analysis notes, there is effectively little United can do to change matters other than dismiss the manager. Results are demanded immediately, yet the feeling around the club is that Carrick has too few allies in senior positions if performances continue at this level.

The problems extend beyond the dugout. The board are under scrutiny, but any real reset would take time. The ownership need to settle on a direction, the recruitment team need to prioritise properly and the squad needs to be cleared of a toxic culture that is dragging everything down. Those are not fixes that happen overnight.

Pressure is also building around Omar Berrada and Jason Wilcox, but replacing two of the club’s most powerful figures would be another long and complicated process. United do not have the luxury of waiting, with Chelsea, Roma, Aston Villa, Liverpool, Sporting CP and Brentford all next on the schedule. On current form, the winless run could easily grow even longer.

The Premier League never takes long to turn against a manager, and with no dismissal yet this season, the pressure is already building around a handful of dugouts.

The opening weeks have been difficult for several head coaches, whose teams have struggled to deliver after the September-October international break. That has sharpened attention on four managers who appear most vulnerable if results do not improve quickly.

Michael Carrick was handed a permanent role after engineering Manchester United’s revival as interim boss last season, earning significant backing from supporters and decision-makers alike. Yet the first full campaign has brought a hard reset. United have looked far less convincing, even if emphatic home wins over Ipswich Town and Sabah FK have offered some cover. Heavy defeats to Hull City, Manchester City, Brighton & Hove Albion and Atlético Madrid have told a different story, and a 3-0 home loss to Bournemouth has intensified talk around his future. Recruitment frustrations have only added to the strain, while supporters made their feelings clear by chanting Carrick’s name before quickly turning to boos after the defeat.

Oliver Glasner left Crystal Palace after delivering FA Cup, Community Shield and Conference League success, and Pierre Sage now inherits the challenge of matching that standard. Sage’s record with Lens in France was highly impressive, but Palace’s early-season form has been poor enough to raise concern. Wins over Fulham and Forest are their only league victories so far, and conceding 19 goals in eight games has left them among the division’s weakest defences. Reports of a dressing-room issue and tension with the board have done little to calm the situation.

Álvaro Arbeloa’s appointment at Fulham was always a bold move. Marco Silva had regularly exceeded expectations, and Arbeloa’s short, strange and unsuccessful spell as Real Madrid manager did little to ease doubts. After three straight defeats, including concerning defensive displays against Chelsea and Crystal Palace, Fulham steadied themselves with draws against Liverpool and Manchester United before slipping again against Ipswich Town. Back-to-back wins over Hull City and Coventry have improved the mood, but the pressure remains.

Frank Lampard’s work at Coventry City has restored his reputation and returned the club to the Premier League for the first time in 25 years. Even so, six defeats in eight matches and only six goals scored have created a difficult backdrop, despite recent wins over Nottingham Forest and Newcastle United.

There was little sunshine to be found on Matchday 8, as Storm Boelo lashed English grounds with rain and wind. For all the bad weather, only one fixture finished goalless, and the round still produced a sharp series of swings in tone, quality and consequence.

Manchester United’s latest setback stood out for all the wrong reasons. Without Bruno Fernandes, they looked short of attacking life again, while Bournemouth made the most of what they created in a 3-0 win. Elsewhere, Tottenham Hotspur earned a notable victory at Stamford Bridge after Mike Penders handed them the opening goal, with Cole Palmer adding to Chelsea’s problems by picking up two unnecessary yellow cards.

Several matches were defined more by frustration than fluency. Fulham struggled to trouble Coventry, managing just two shots on target, while Crystal Palace surrendered control against Newcastle after leading the shot count at the break. Everton were pushed back by Arsenal and rarely threatened after falling behind early. Ipswich and Nottingham Forest finished level after a match in which neither side found much rhythm, even if the visitors were able to make more of the contest than their hosts.

Brentford’s draw away to newly promoted opposition drew a blunt response from Keith Andrews and Michael Kayode, who both said, “We have to be better.” Sunderland also shared the points in a contest shaped by the conditions, with Régis Le Bris pleased enough to say, “We were Sunderland today.” At the Stadium of Light, the wind played a major role in a game where both teams completed only 73% of their passes.

There were also decisive moments at Anfield and Villa Park. Liverpool saw Brighton’s recent momentum halted as early goals changed the shape of the match, while Villa took control through Nicolas Jackson’s sharp finishing and a commanding display from Zion Suzuki, who produced six saves and 12 line-breaking passes. In another tight contest, Hull and their opponents could not be separated, and Sergej Jakirović called it “a fair result.”

The weekend’s final judgement was not about one storyline alone, but about a league round where weather, missed chances and single moments repeatedly decided the outcome.