Manchester United will sack Michael Carrick before Christmas - history is repeating itself at Old Trafford.
That's the opinion of ex-Chelsea defender Jason Cundy, who has ripped into the Red Devils following Sunday's 2-1 defeat to ten-man Manchester City.
United mustered just three shots on target on home soil against a City side who had Phil Foden given his marching orders in the 23rd minute.
How have Man United performed this season?
Defeat to the Citizens was United's second Premier League loss from their opening four games.
A horror opening match saw Hull emerge as 2-0 winners, with a 5-2 win over Ipswich followed up with a 2-2 draw away at Everton.
Having mustered just four points from as many games, United languish in 13th spot.
It is their joint-worst start to a Premier League season since the 1992/93 campaign.
Only last term under Ruben Amorim's tutelage had United also picked up a mere four points.
Carrick was named as Troy Deeney's villain of the weekend over his tactical set-up against Enzo Maresca's men.
And talkSPORT co-host Cundy has now issued a grim verdict on Carrick's long-term future at the Theatre of Dreams - just four months after being confirmed as their permanent manager having guided the club to third spot during his interim spell in charge.
What has Jason Cundy said about Michael Carrick?
Speaking on The Sports Bar on Monday night, he boldly stated: "Man United are a joke, Carrick's going to get the sack before Christmas."
Interjecting, colleague Jamie O'Hara then said: "You can't say that, Carrick's not getting the sack, you can't say he's getting the sack after one game."
To which Cundy pointed out that European fixtures could ultimately prove to be Carrick's downfall, as he remarked: "It's not one game, it's history repeating itself.
"Here's the thing, answer this, my argument is the reason Carrick got the job is because they had one game a week.
âÂÂThey played Sabah [in the Champions League] midweek, fast forward four days, play at home against ten-men Man City, can't string a pass together, get beat.
âÂÂThis is going to be the problem, this is his downfall, he is not capable of getting the squad together.âÂÂ
Not having his argument, O'Hara yet again came to Carrick's defence, as he insisted: "No, no, no, I disagree, I think that's bang out of [order].
"You can't blame Michael Carrick for a shocking performance from the players.
"Carrick's in charge, I understand what you're saying, but the players are out there, 11 v 10, top players.
"We're talking about Harry Maguire, Bruno Fernandes, [Bryan] Mbeumo, [Matheus] Cunha, you're telling me that they can't beat Man City with ten men?
"I get that Man City were immense. I get that, but you can't blame Carrick for 11 Man United players on the pitch not being able to break them down.âÂÂ
Concluding his argument, Cundy then stressed: "Here's the problem Carrick's going to find, he's now got two games a week.
"I said that Carrick was going to get the job by default, it was the right thing to give him the job.
"But now you found yourself, Man United fans and Man United, in a position where he earned the right to have the job, I said he shouldn't get it, I said that to you, he shouldn't have got the job.
"They played Sabah midweek, the first game after the Champions League, first time I believe he's had to play two games in one week, gets beat by ten men."
Carrick will be hoping to guide United back to winning ways at home to high-flying Brighton in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday night - live on talkSPORT.
United then travel to Fulham, who have picked up just one point this term, on Sunday in their final game before the three-week international break.