Mark Hughes has been backed to revive Stoke City's miserable start to the season by the club's chairman Peter Coates.
The Potters currently prop up the Premier League after four defeats and a draw from their opening five games - conceding four goals in three of those - after consecutive ninth-place finishes.
But Coates is confident Hughes, who was fined £8,000 by the FA on Monday after accepting a misconduct charge in relation to an incident during the 4-0 defeat to Tottenham earlier this month, can pull the club clear of trouble.
"We are obviously disappointed with the start we've made but Mark and the management team have our full support," Coates told Telegraph Sport.
"He is a very experienced manager and knows what it takes to get results in the Premier League.
"It's still very early in the season and while these results obviously can't go on forever, we're convinced that things will change."