Manchester United fans have been dealt a brutal reality check.
In a season that initially offered so much hope, the same challenges have once again emerged without warning.
Two home defeats in the space of four days did little to enthuse supporters who may otherwise have fallen into a false state of security following the 4-0 Champions League destruction of Azerbaijani minnows FK Sabah.
Last weekendâÂÂs controversial 1-0 defeat to ten-man Manchester City left United in 13th place and already eight-points off the top.
Their cataclysmic collapse in midweek, throwing away a two-goal lead before being dumped out of the Carabao Cup by Brighton, felt like the needle mover.
Not because United fans havenâÂÂt become accustomed to the inexplicable over the last decade, but instead due to the same mistakes being repeated.
Millions invested in the team, a plethora of managers all hoping they can be the one to turn the Old Trafford tide, but ultimately, the same end result.
Boss Michael Carrick, a man who contributed to the clubâÂÂs glory days, is now firmly in the firing line while fans have again slipped to a low ebb.
For talkSPORTâÂÂs chief football correspondent Alex Crook, the chances of the Red Devils lifting another Premier League title are minuscule, regardless of who is in the dugout.
The Manchester United fan provided his sobering reality on the latest episode of talkSPORTâÂÂs Fiery Fridays podcast.
The glory days are overâ¦
âSo the realisation for me and my hot take this week, Iâm 44 now, probably not going to live until Iâm 100, realistically,â Crook began.
âEven if I did, I donât think United are going to win the title in my lifetime, I donât think itâs going to happen.
âMy big wish now, Iâve been there and seen it, Iâve had the glory days, I want us to win something significant so I can share the moment with my two lads who Iâve forced into following in my footsteps.
âBut I donât think thatâs a realistic ambition anymore, I just think theyâre so far behind.
âAll the time the players are in situ and INEOS and Sir Jim Ratcliffe come in and make the situation worse in my opinion, and not better.
âTheyâve put people like Jason Wilcox and Omar Berrada in positions that their CVs donât really warrant.
âÂÂTheyâve destroyed the morale of the football club, the fans hate INEOS and Ratcliffe as much as they despise the Glazers.âÂÂ
Asked how the 20-time top-flight champions return to competing for Premier League titles and the Champions League, Crook provided fans with a huge dose of reality.
âWeâre going to have to cherish that win over Sabah because we played a pub team,â he added.
âWeâre not going to play anybody else as bad as that for the rest of the season and I fear weâre not going to get out of the Champions League, League phase.
âHow embarrassing would that be if we ended up getting knocked out and not even qualifying for the extra round at the end of it?
âThe club is brokenâ
âIâm just really down about the club, itâs completely broken to me, I know it was 26 years between titles last time around, it has been 13 already, so weâre halfway there.
âIâm not sure thereâs a genius in the surrounding areas whoâs going to come in and save us.
âÂÂThereâs not an Eric Cantona coming over the hills to completely rewrite the history of this football club.
âAnd actually, only three men [managers] have ever won the league title at Manchester United, I donât think thereâs going to be a fourth.â
Voice of talkSPORT Adrian Durham concurred with his broadcast colleagueâÂÂs desperate monologue.
He quipped: âI think you are going to live forever, Crooky, to be honest with you, the way you live your life and thereâs no consequences, you are going to live forever.
âSo, Man United are never going to win the league again, I cannot see that happening any time soon and even after that, youâve got to rebuild a squad, others will be growing at the same time
âThe scary thing about it is, Arsenal are incredibly well run, itâs incredibly stable, theyâve got about three players for every position, and I donât even think Man City are going to get that close to them this season, even though theyâve started well.
âSo, yes, Man United are absolutely miles off it, I make you absolutely right.â
Having the final say, United fan Angelina Kelly then joked: âWe donât know how long Crook will live, I was trying to give him at least another 40 years for argumentâs sake
âUnited had to wait 41 years before, so maybe itâll be similar, who knows?
âBut I agree as well, the ownershipâs lack of ambition is clearly the problem and theyâre never going to turn things around if they donât actually sort out the root of the issues.â
Manchester United head to Fulham on Sunday needing a win to get their domestic campaign back on track.
Following the three-week international break, a crucial run of fixtures await Carrickâs side.
United face key clashes with Tottenham, Leeds and Chelsea, with trips to Atletico Madrid and Como up next in the Champions League.