pip install x no longer working after upgrading pip?

Question

I have recently upgraded to the latest version of pip and this changed the behaviour of my pip installer.

Where before I could simply input pip install requests I now have to write python -m pip install requests , otherwise the following error happens:

Fatal error in launcher: Unable to create process using '"c:\users\xxxx\appdata\local\programs\python\python39\python.exe" "C:\Users\xxxx\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python39\Scripts\pip.exe" install requests': The system cannot find the file specified.

I am running Python 3.8 so I'm not sure why pip is looking for Python 3.9.

Answer 1

Remove

"c:\users\xxxx\appdata\local\programs\python\python39\python.exe" 
"C:\Users\xxxx\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python39\Scripts\pip.exe"

from PATH, and add

"c:\users\xxxx\appdata\local\programs\python\python38\python.exe" 
"C:\Users\xxxx\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python38\Scripts\pip.exe"

instead.