Chelsea and Manchester United are again facing questions about their managers after difficult starts to the 2025-26 season. Still, both clubs say they are backing their current coaches.
At Chelsea, pressure is growing on Enzo Maresca after the team won only two of its first six Premier League matches. A 2-1 loss to Brighton added to the frustration, along with disciplinary issues and injuries to key players including Levi Colwill, Cole Palmer and Liam Delap. Many fans fear another season slipping away after a slow start.
Chelsea owner Todd Boehly and the board, however, are standing by Maresca. They point to last season, when Chelsea won just three of their first 12 league games but later recovered to finish in a European place and record an FA Cup win over Morecambe. The board believes the current problems are mainly due to injuries and red cards, not poor coaching.
Maresca now turns his focus to the Champions League. Chelsea need to respond after losing their opening match to Bayern Munich. Their next game is against Benfica, coached by former Chelsea manager José Mourinho, who won three Premier League titles with the club. A good result could calm tensions, but another defeat would increase pressure from supporters and test Boehly’s patience.
Manchester United are facing a similar situation. Ruben Amorim’s side lost 3-1 to Brentford, quickly ending the optimism that followed a win over Chelsea. United have yet to win consecutive league games under Amorim. They have also conceded the first goal in 21 matches since November 2024, raising concerns about tactics and defensive focus.
Despite this, co-owner Jim Ratcliffe is not backing away from Amorim. Reports by the Daily Mail and BBC Sport say Ratcliffe does not want to panic and plans to give Amorim the full season to work with a squad still in transition. Talk of possible replacements, including England coach Gareth Southgate and former Chelsea manager Graham Potter, has been played down.
Amorim has publicly dismissed suggestions that his job is at risk. Still, United have not won an away league match since March, and they remain vulnerable to long balls despite repeated work in training. Fan frustration is growing, recalling past spells when Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, José Mourinho and Louis van Gaal were all sacked after failing to bring consistent results.
Both clubs say they are trying to break from unstable recent histories. Chelsea have been known for quick managerial changes under Roman Abramovich and later Boehly, with Thomas Tuchel, Potter and Mauricio Pochettino all dismissed within three years before Maresca took over. United have also struggled for stability since Alex Ferguson retired in 2013, moving through David Moyes, Van Gaal, Mourinho, Solskjaer and Erik ten Hag before hiring Amorim.
For now, both boards are choosing patience and hoping stability leads to success. But with demanding fans and heavy expectations, the coming weeks especially Chelsea’s Champions League matches and United’s away games, could decide whether that patience lasts or if another round of managerial changes follows.
