Alvaro Arbeloa: These three games will decide Fulham future
Fulham are prepared to give Alvaro Arbeloa up to five games to ease the pressure on his position, sources have told Football Insider.
The new boss has lost his opening three games of the Premier League season, most recently in a 3-2 defeat against Crystal Palace, and is without a point on the board.
Their upcoming visit to Anfield will then be followed by a game against Man United, with an unkind fixture list doing the manager no favours with regard to his future.
However, as I revealed on the latest edition of Football Insider's Transfer Insider podcast, Arbeloa will be given three games after the international break to prove his worth.
With a 20-day break following the Man United clash, the Cottagers will then play all three newly-promoted sides in what will be a decisive run for the new manager.
Should Arbeloa prove unable to pick up positive results from those three games, it may force Fulham into a deicison about his future at the club.
What do Fulham have planned for Alvaro Arbeloa?
Former Everton CEO Keith Wyness told Football Insider on 10 September that Arbeloa is likely to be the first Premier League manager sacked after a dreadful start to the season.
Three defeats to kick off the new manager's tenure in the Premier League has raised the stakes for his upcoming games, but it appears Fulham are ready to give him time yet.
Despite frustrartions buidling behind the scenes at Craven Cottage, they are hopful that Arbeloa can turn things around, and are willing to give him time to do that.
Speaking on the Transfer Insider podcast, I explained: "Football is ultimately a results-based business and until you start getting wins then the criticism will not go away.
"The sceptics will continue to grow if the results aren't good, but look, they've got games against Liverpool and Man United coming up which will be tough.
"But after the international break, they've got three games against all three of the newly-promoted teams, so they will be targeting those games where they can pick up points.
"If they continue to struggle in those three games, then a decision might have to be made, but I don't think there'll be any knee-jerk reactions from the Fulham board."
Which other issues is Arbeloa facing at Fulham?
Arbeloa is already facing problems both on and off the pitch at Craven Cottage, with their poor start to the season not the only issue putting pressure on his position.
Following the defeat against Crystal Palace, boos were heard around the stadium, with the fans now starting to express their frustrations towards the new manager.
Meanwhile, former Man United coach Mick Brown told Football Insider that Fulham stars have started to show their frustrations with Arbeloa behind the scenes.
Those concerns, combined with frustrations from the crowd and potential issues arising in the dressing room, have not placed Arbeloa in a strong position to turn things around.
There is also a belief that the manager's lack of experience, despite landing the hot seat at Real Madrid in the latter stages of last season, mean he is still unproven at this level.