Julen Lopetegui has made an inauspicious start at West Ham United since succeeding David Moyes and now faces an important clash with Liverpool on Wednesday.
The Carabao Cup third round may not rank highest on Lopetegui's list of priorities but a win at Anfield would ease some early nerves starting to swirl around east London.
Moyes' time at West Ham had come to a natural conclusion despite the Scot's fine work, which delivered long-awaited success in the Europa Conference League in 2023.
Lopetegui already has the unwanted distinction of being the first head coach in West Ham's history to suffer three straight losses at home at the start of the season.