Steven Gerrard is Under Pressure at Al-Ettifaq as His Side’s Winless Run Extended to Five Matches In All Competitions
A 73rd strike by Andrei Burca gave Al-Akhdoud the lead, which they held on to for their fourth win of the season, moving them out of the bottom three into 15th with 13 points from 15 points.
The defeat for Al-Ettifaq has not landed well, and pressure has been ratcheted up for Steven Gerrard to turn things around. The former Aston Villa manager might have been forgiven for thinking that a job with Al-Ettifaq would have been less pressure than the Birmingham-based club; instead, he finds himself under immense pressure as the club’s fortunes plummet this season.
The 1-0 loss at Al-Akhdoud, among the struggling teams in the Saudi Pro League, has only cranked up the pressure on the manager. The five-match unbeaten match illustrates the scale of work that Gerrard has in his hands as he sets about turning Al-Ettifaq’s form in the Saudi Pro League.
The pressure is especially pronounced by the big spending that Al-Ettifaq made in the Summer, bringing in big names to aid in their bid to fight for the title and challenge at the top of the SPL. However, Al-Ettifaq is now closer to relegation than the top two teams in the SPL – Al-Hilal and Al-Nassr.
Things will not get easier for Steven Gerrard as Al-Ettifaq takes on fifth-placed Al-Taawoun and second-placed Al-Nassr before the winter break. It is a make-or-break period for the former Liverpool captain.
