As the English Football League season enters its third month, managerial pressure is rising across all three divisions ahead of the latest round of fixtures. Recent departures, including Crawley Town manager Colin Kazim-Richards and Bromley boss Andy Woodman, highlight the high stakes across the league as several clubs fight to turn around slumping form.
Norwich Seeks Turnaround Under Clement
Norwich City travel to Charlton Athletic on Saturday after five consecutive league losses left them in 21st place with nine points from 11 matches. Their current standing is just one point and one position above where they were at the same point last season prior to the dismissal of former manager Liam Manning.
Philippe Clement took over at Carrow Road last November, guiding Norwich from the bottom of the table to a ninth-place finish by securing 56 points over the remainder of the 2025-26 campaign. However, the Canaries have struggled in the opening months of the current season and have also lost striker Mohamed Toure to a long-term shoulder injury after he scored five goals in seven league games.
“I’ve got egg on my face because they were my wild promotion pick so I’m as surprised as anyone that they’re doing so badly,” former Hull City striker Aaron McLean said when evaluating Norwich’s form, adding that the team appears “void of any confidence at the moment.”
Addressing the difficult period, Clement told BBC Radio Norfolk, “It’s my task to stay calm in the frustration because if everybody starts to panic, we are not going to have the season we want,” noting that “there are still 35 games to play.” Their Saturday opponents, Charlton Athletic, are winless in eight league matches but remain unbeaten at home this season.
Cardiff Gain Ground as Stockport Lead League One
In the Championship, Cardiff City host fourth-placed Birmingham City after accumulating four points from their last two matches, including a 5-1 victory over Watford and a draw at Middlesbrough. The results have moved Brian Barry-Murphy’s squad up to 19th position, three points above the relegation zone. Birmingham enter the fixture on a three-game winning streak under head coach Chris Davies.
In League One, Stockport County have moved to the top of the division following four straight victories under manager Jimmy McNulty, who replaced Dave Challinor earlier this year. Forward Kyle Wootton has led Stockport’s attack with nine goals in 11 matches, scoring in four consecutive games ahead of their trip to 18th-placed Notts County.
Struggles for Sheffield Wednesday and Bristol Rovers
Sheffield Wednesday have dropped from first to seventh in League One after earning a single win from their past five matches. Head coach Henrik Pedersen faced criticism from supporters following a midweek 2-0 defeat to Notts County. Assessing Wednesday’s situation, BBC Radio Sheffield’s Rob Staton observed that “the odd bad result isn’t a surprise when you have to rebuild the whole squad in a summer. But Wednesday simply can’t keep playing as poorly as they are.” The Owls visit local rivals Doncaster Rovers on Saturday.
In League Two, Bristol Rovers manager Steve Evans remains confident his side can halt a downward slide after four straight defeats left them 16th in the table. Evans, who saved the club from relegation after taking over in December 2025, told BBC Radio Bristol that the current run of one victory in seven games is “causing a lot sleepless nights,” but added, “[But] let’s not get carried away with stats. We will bounce back for sure.” Bristol Rovers host West Country rivals Swindon Town on Saturday.
Source: BBC Sport
