Premier League big issues: Will Amorim, Ange last? Is Salah fading?

The second international break of the season is almost over, and the Premier League is ready to return this weekend, with Liverpool‘s clash against Manchester United at Anfield topping the bill.

Each of England’s 20 top-tier clubs have now played seven league games. The Premier League table is beginning to point to a competitive title race and a relegation battle in which all three promoted teams — Burnley, Leeds United and Sunderland — have genuine hopes of avoiding the drop.

Meanwhile, the pressure is growing on struggling managers Ruben Amorim and Ange Postecoglou, big-money summer signings such as Florian Wirtz and Matheus Cunha have yet to have a major impact at their new clubs, and Bournemouth and Crystal Palace are offering signs that they could push for UEFA Champions League qualification.

So with four Premier League matchdays scheduled before the November international break, what are the big issues that could come to a head over the next month?

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Will Amorim and Ange last until November?

Ruben Amorim was given the public backing of Sir Jim Ratcliffe last week; the Manchester United minority owner said Amorim could not be judged in his role as manager until he has had three years in the post. But despite the vote of confidence, Amorim is still — by some distance — statistically the worst United manager of the Premier League era.

United have not won back-to-back league games since the Portuguese coach took charge in November 2024, and their last away win came against relegated Leicester City in March. So far this season, United have beaten two promoted teams and a Chelsea side reduced to 10 players for virtually the entire game, so Sunday’s trip to Liverpool threatens to be a major test of Amorim and his players. And while Ratcliffe’s supportive words will be welcomed by Amorim, it’s worth remembering that he called Erik ten Hag a “very good coach” just three weeks before firing him last season.

Despite Amorim’s difficulties, he is not the manager in most peril right now. That title goes to Nottingham Forest‘s Ange Postecoglou, who is under intense pressure after seven winless games in charge at the City Ground.

The former Tottenham Hotspur manager replaced Nuno Espirito Santo last month after being hand-picked by ultra-demanding Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis. But Forest have nosedived under Postecoglou, and the fans have already turned on the former Australia coach. Marinakis has shown himself to be a ruthless owner many times in the past, so Big Ange is already in big trouble.

Is Salah a fading force?

Mohamed Salah is now fourth on the list of all-time Premier League goal scorers and will become only the third player — after Alan Shearer, Wayne Rooney and Harry Kane — to break the 200-goal barrier if he scores just 12 more times for Liverpool. But will Salah hit that target this season, or are we beginning to see signs that the 33-year-old is a fading force?

Since the beginning of February, Salah has scored 14 goals for Liverpool in all competitions; six of those have been penalties. So far this season, he has managed just two goals and two assists for the champions in seven league games.

With an Africa Cup of Nations campaign with Egypt looming in December, Salah could be away from Liverpool for six weeks this winter. In addition, summer signings Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike are ready to usurp him as Liverpool’s main goal threat.

So with age catching up with Salah and international commitments — Egypt have also qualified for next year’s FIFA World Cup — set to distract his focus, this season could be a difficult one. It could also be his last at Anfield if his declining output continues.

But here’s the good news. Next up for Salah is Manchester United on Sunday, and no team has conceded more goals against the forward than United (16). Will everything click into gear this weekend?

Time for big signings to deliver

Every signing needs time to adapt to a new club. Some do it more quickly than others, but eventually, a star player has to deliver. That’s the issue facing the likes of Florian Wirtz, Matheus Cunha, Alexander Isak and Eberechi Eze after over two months of Premier League action for their new teams.

Wirtz is the one with the most to do after making little to no impact for Liverpool since arriving in a deal worth up to £116 million from Bayer Leverkusen this summer. In seven league games so far, Wirtz has registered no goals and no assists, and the pace of the English top-flight has been too hot to handle for the Germany international.

Liverpool teammate Isak, who arrived on deadline day of the summer transfer window for a fee worth up to £130 million, has managed only one assist in three Premier League appearances since his move from Newcastle United, though he’s still getting up to speed after missing the entire preseason due to his desire to force a transfer. Wirtz and Isak have been signed as investments in Liverpool’s long term, but both need to offer more than they have done so far.

Cunha, meanwhile, was signed by United to boost their attacking threat after the side scored just 44 league goals last season, but the £62.5 million arrival from Wolverhampton Wanderers has yet to score or register an assist in six appearances with Amorim’s team. Fellow new arrivals Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko are both already off the mark with goals for United, so Cunha needs to step up.

The same applies to Arsenal‘s Eze, who has contributed just two assists in six appearances since completing a £67.5 million transfer from Crystal Palace last month. Eze contributed eight goals and eight assists in his final season at Palace and also played a central role in the Eagles’ first FA Cup triumph, scoring the winner in the final against Manchester City. But the 27-year-old is still finding his feet at the Emirates.

Can Bournemouth and Palace keep pace at the top?

Bournemouth and Crystal Palace have two of the most sought-after coaches in the game in Andoni Iraola and Oliver Glasner, respectively, and both sides are raising hopes of a top-four finish this season. Iraola’s side is just two points behind leaders Arsenal, while Palace are two points further back after becoming the last team to lose its unbeaten record with a defeat at Everton going into this international break.

But can both sides maintain their early form? And with that, can they also hold on to their highly rated coaches long enough for the first question to be answered?

The two teams meet at Selhurst Park on Saturday, and both sides have players who have made outstanding starts to the season. Antoine Semenyo has scored six goals and registered three assists so far this season for Bournemouth, while left back Adrien Truffert has replaced Milos Kerkez (now with Liverpool) and appears to be an absolute bargain in a deal worth up to £14 million from Rennes. Palace’s Adam Wharton, Marc Guéhi, Daniel Muñoz, Daichi Kamada and Jean-Phillippe Mateta have all built on last season’s performances to excel this time around, so Glasner’s side has strength throughout the roster.

Palace look to have the greater depth to ensure a challenge for the top four, but Bournemouth have real quality, too.

Are winless Wolves doomed already?

The prospects for Wolves are already looking bleak, with Vitor Pereira’s side anchored to the bottom of the table without a win so far this season. But their record of just two points from seven games is one point better than at the same stage last season, so there will be hope that they can turn the situation around at Molineux.

However, with key players Cunha and Rayan Aït-Nouri leaving during the summer for Manchester United and Manchester City, respectively, Wolves would seem to have an even bigger mountain to climb this time around.

Sheffield United hold the record for the longest wait for a first Premier League win after going 17 games at the start of the 2020-21 season, and the Blades were relegated at the end of that campaign. But Wolves had to wait until their 11th league game for a win last season and still ended up avoiding relegation.

Their next two league games look to be crucial if they are to get their season up and running, though. With promoted teams Sunderland (away) and Burnley (home) next up for Wolves, they simply have to get a win from one of those.