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The Premier League is a hard place for a manager to survive with trouble bad form, injuries and ill luck capable of derailing even the best-laid plans and getting managers sacked.
Add on the monetary privileges attached to staying in the league and the task of the manager is made even harder.
We have already witnessed three managerial casualties in the early parts of the season and there may be more to follow with a couple of teams not performing to their standards.
#1 Slaven Bilic (West Ham)
Slaven Bilic was appointed as West Ham boss after the owners felt a need for a different brand of football than what Sam Allardyce, whose brand of football was not appealing to the owners.
Bilic vindicated the decision of the owners after he guided West Ham to a 6th place finish in their final season at Upton Park. However, the move to Olympic Stadium has seen the team struggling to feel at home.
Last season they had a similar start to this season which saw them finish the season in a disappointing 11th position. The scenario is no different this time around as they sit above the relegation zone on goal difference having won only two of their 10 matches this season.
Signings have failed to deliver
Part of the reason is primarily due to the failure of summer signings. Of all the West Ham recruits last season, only Andre Ayew was the only notable performers among a bunch of new players despite missing a significant chunk of last season through injuries.
The situation is no different this summer with signings not up to the mark. Joe Hart has looked unconvincing in goal and former City teammate Pablo Zabaleta's performances have been as tired and disappointing as his hairline.
Marko Arnautovic and Javier Hernandez have both looked short on confidence while Manuel Lanzini, who fans hoped to be the shining star after the departure of Dimitri Payet is only just recovering from an injury.
Although the mood was lifted by a spirited comeback against London rivals Tottenham Hotspurs in the Carabao Cup, the performance needs to be mirrored in the league as well.
What next?
The Hammers face a fairly tricky run of fixtures in November with games against Watford, Leicester, Everton and a home game against Liverpool. They need as many points as possible in these games to lift the team from the relegation scrap.
Bilic did his job last season in guiding West Ham through to their first season at Olympic Park. However, a bottom half finish will be unacceptable for a team looking to move forward.
Bilic has proved himself as a worthy manager to take West Ham ahead and just needs his star players to start delivering on the pitch.
#2 Mark Hughes (Stoke City)
Hughes was appointed as Stoke boss after the departure of Tony Pulis in 2013 and provided top half finishes in his first three seasons, thus justifying his appointment.
Last season Stoke managed to finish 13th in the league, with Hughes aiming to change the style of the Potters who had been often criticised for their playing style. Hughes wanted to incorporate more flair and style in Stoke's play, which was evident by the type of players he signed during the summer.
But it hasn't really worked for Hughes for the last two seasons and he is looking to get the season back on track and escape the lowly position the team currently occupies.
Defensive mess
An early season victory over Arsenal and a draw with Manchester United were indicative of a bright start to the season. However, a poor run of form including heavy defeats against Chelsea and Manchester City have raised numerous questions.
The arrivals of Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting and Jese Rodriguez has helped fill the void left by the departure of Marko Arnautovic. The less said about Saido Berahino, the better as he has been a complete disaster since joining from West Bromwich Albion.
Defence remains a worry for Stoke despite bringing in three central defenders in the summer. Bruno Martins Indi looks to be suffering from the second-season syndrome while summer signing Kevin Wimmer hasn't hit the ground running as expected.
The addition of Kurt Zouma on a loan deal brought a lot of optimism but is yet to be seen on the field with the defence looking disorganised and lacking in pace as injuries have not allowed Hughes pick a settled back line so far this season.
A fullback should have been a priority with the available options ageing as well as declining in terms of productivity. Stoke have kept 2 clean sheets so far in the league and must improve given the thrifty nature of the team's strikers.
What next?
A favourable run of fixtures for the next four games could be a welcome boost for Hughes and his team to get their season up and running.
Last week's win at Watford was a step towards recovery.
After a summer where the board fully backed the manager, it's his responsibility to make the teamwork. The board are still behind him so the manager might be afforded some time before the dreaded "vote of confidence" is invoked.
#3 Antonio Conte (Chelsea)
It was a bit of a surprise that Conte was at the helm during the start of the season given disagreements over transfer targets between him and the Chelsea hierarchy.
Having overcome the uncertainty and negativity around Stamford Bridge at the start of the season, the mood was quite pleasant at Chelsea. The display against Atletico in the Champions League hinted at a team growing in confidence.
But, the joy was shortlived as losses to Manchester City and Crystal Palace brought back the doubts. A hard-fought win against Watford suggests the Blues are a different unit than two seasons before when they failed miserably.
Injuries and the lack of depth
Injuries could not have come at a worse time for Conte's side as key players have been sidelined during a busy schedule. Star performers like Pedro have had an injury-hit campaign and other key players like N'Golo Kante and Victor Moses have also joined the list.
Rumours about players questioning the training regime and texting their former assistant coach; Steve Holland has further added fuel to growing concerns about the position of the manager.
Given the ruthless nature of Chelsea's owner, it is always a worry for any manager at the helm. The structure and discipline which won them the title last season seems missing this time around as Conte shuffles his squad to keep his players fresh.
Captain Gary Cahill and David Luiz have not been up to the level they had last season. The attack seems too reliant on new buy Alvaro Morata with Eden Hazard just back after injury and Willian not performing up to his usual standards.
What next?
Having won 3 games in a row in all competitions, Chelsea finally looked to have arrested their disappointing form.
However, the 3-0 defeat by AS Roma showed just how a game can turn the tables. They face Manchester United next at home and recent jibes between Conte and Mourinho adds extra significance to the fixture.
The window is long gone and Conte needs to focus his team on winning. He needs to wait until January when he can turn his attention to bolster his squad. Until then, he needs to make work of what he has currently which he is capable of.
#4 Paul Clement (Swansea City)
Paul Clement managed to keep Swansea afloat last season after replacing Bob Bradley in January. He inherited a team that saw their third manager in a season.
Clement managed to boost the morale of the team and kept them up, a commendable effort for a man in his first managerial tenure at a Premier League club.
This season was going to be a similar struggle, a fact not hidden from Clement. A club fighting for survival need every bit of good fortune, which unfortunately hasn't been the case for the Swans with fine margins costing the team on numerous occasions.
Lack of goals
When you lose players like Gylfi Sigurdsson and Fernando Llorente, you are looking at a team struggling for goals. These two were pivotal in the battle for survival last season with more than 50% of goals scored between them.
Sigurdsson has proved to be a bigger miss for the Welsh side since on-loan Tammy Abraham looks a player capable of filling the void up-front.
The last two summer windows have seen Swansea lose important players in Ashley Williams, Llorente and Sigurdsson, stripping the team of defensive steel, creativity in midfield and goal scoring.
The current squad possess players with potential but none are of the class to build a team around like the aforementioned players.
Summer signings have so far failed to deliver with on-loan striker Tammy Abraham the only bright spot in a misfiring attack.
In fact, Swansea is the joint second lowest team in terms of goals with only six goals so far.
The arrival of Renato Sanches was seen as a coup but the Portuguese player has failed to live up to the hype, same as Wilfried Bony. This has resulted in only two wins so far this season and being above the bottom three only on goal difference.
What next?
The Swans are lacking the urgency and intensity that was on show at the end of last season, a worry for any manager fighting the drop.
Clement needs to find the formula which worked so well for him last season. A crucial month is ahead for Clement, whose side counts Chelsea among its upcoming opponents. A positive run in these games is imperative for the survival of the club as well as the manager.
#5 Jurgen Klopp (Liverpool)
He might not be the name many expected, but the team's position and the performances cannot be ignored.
3 wins in the last 11 games across all competition is not the sort of form you would normally associate with a Klopp team.
He has kept faith with his defence despite being its leaky nature. Klopp has a great attacking unit, capable of scoring goals and attacking with frightening pace but goals alone won't win you titles, a fact Liverpool fans know too well having witnessed a similar tale not so long ago.
Klopp is obsessed with high-intensity football and honestly, it is a treat for every football fan, but defensive solidity is vital for any team aiming for success.
Mane's absence
Mane was voted Liverpool's player of the season last season despite an injury which prematurely ended his season. The early season talk was about Philippe Coutinho and the impact of his possible departure from the team.
Such talk was soon ignored as Liverpool started the season brightly with Mane being the star performer. Then came the game against Manchester City where he was sent off, a significant moment in the season for Liverpool.
The team lost the explosiveness and direct approach which Mane offers. Coutinho has been shifted wide but Liverpool has missed his guile and creativity in the middle of the park.
Last season, Liverpool experienced a similar situation and looked to have a plan for such a situation by signing Mohammad Salah.
The Egyptian has made his mark since coming to Anfield in the summer, and having both him and Mane on the pitch gives the Liverpool attack a different dimension. The points tally in the 9 games this term isn't any different from Brendan Rodgers' in his final season.
Having already witnessed a managerial casualty at Everton, the same fate occurring in the red half of Merseyside cannot be discounted.
What next?
The win against Huddersfield was a stop gap for Klopp with Liverpool looking unconvincing in the first half. The next 3 games are against "smaller" teams with two of those games at Anfield.
This is followed by a trip to Sevilla and a clash with Chelsea. Winning these games will be vital for uplifting the confidence of the players and the atmosphere at Anfield.
With a place in the knockout stage of the Champions League and the chance to close in on a top-four finish, the month of November is pivotal if the German is to continue his reign as the Reds boss.
