The offseason may have been shorter than usual, but it has been long enough for the narratives that seemed to be emerging at the end of last season to be forgotten. Both José Mourinho and David Moyes ended 2019–20 with a sense of well-being, with Tottenham having gone unbeaten in six games to qualify for the Europa League and West Ham having stayed up after just one defeat in its last seven. But both managers immediately find themselves under pressure after defeats on the opening weekend of the new season.
After Tottenham’s dreadful start to last season, Mourinho had been eager to let it be known that only three sides had picked up more points than Spurs since his appointment in place of Mauricio Pochettino.