Nottingham Forest manager Oliver Glasner is under intense pressure after a 2-0 defeat at Brentford left the club 19th in the Premier League. The loss was Forest's fifth match without a victory and their fourth defeat in five games, leaving them with just six points from nine matches this season.

Glasner, the highest-paid manager in the club's history on a salary exceeding £10 million a year, has won only once in his ten games in charge. He has lost six of those matches and has been openly critical of his players' fitness and seriousness. "We are outrun by the opposition in every single game," Glasner said. He has promised "no more hugs" and "no compromises," telling his squad, "Either you buy in, or you leave."

A demanding start

The 52-year-old Austrian's tactics and man-management are being questioned. He has stuck with a three-at-the-back formation, but defensive errors have been costly. In the defeat at Brentford, centre-back Murillo was caught out for the opening goal, an own goal by Nikola Milenković. The team's overall lack of intensity is reflected in the data, which shows Forest made fewer sprints than any Premier League side except Arsenal last season.

Key players are underperforming. Morgan Gibbs-White, Forest's best player, has contributed only one goal and two assists this term. Meanwhile, well-respected midfielders like Ibrahim Sangare and Nico Dominguez have been left on the fringes of the squad. The unrest was visible after the Brentford game when Glasner substituted Ola Aina and Xaver Schlager at half-time and later rejected a player's request to drive home alone.

Owner's patience

Owner Evangelos Marinakis has shown patience so far, having factored in player sentiment when dismissing previous managers Ange Postecoglou and Sean Dyche. Dyche himself lasted just 114 days last season. Chief football officer George Syrianos, who pushed hard for Glasner's appointment, would come under scrutiny if the current experiment fails. Syrianos recently spoke with supporter representatives about the club's long-term project.

The immediate focus, however, is on halting the slide. Forest's recent form reads a dismal LDLLL, with just one goal scored in their last four league outings. They have conceded 12 goals while scoring only six all season, leaving them with a goal difference of minus six. They currently sit 18 points behind league leaders Arsenal in the standings.

The next test could not be tougher. Forest host second-placed Manchester City at the City Ground on Saturday, 7 November.

More detail at Daily Mail Sport