It's the same old story at Manchester United - even Saturday's win can't mask that.
Seven games into the Premier League season, United are ninth, having lost three times already and been dumped out of the Carabao Cup by League Two side Grimsby Town.
There have been signs of progress, no doubt, but it's been a familiar tale for the Red Devils, whose fanbase recognise the importance of the juncture just ahead.
Ruben Amorim has gone through the wringer since making the move from Portugal, leaving two-in-a-row champions Sporting Lisbon and taking on a huge job at Old Trafford, who had parted with Erik ten Hag early into the 2024/25 season, with cup triumphs papering over the general lack of progress at the club.
And while all of a United persuasion would love to see the Portuguese tactician pull it together, he is nearly on borrowed time in the hot seat.
The latest on Amorim's Man Utd future
"What makes me suffer is to lose games, not to lose my job." This is what Amorim said in his pre-match press conference, ahead of Manchester United's 2-0 win against Sunderland in the Premier League.
Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim looks dejected after the match-1
He wore his passion on his sleeve as he addressed the reporters in front of him, advocating vehemently for his system and stressing that it has the capacity to thrive in the Premier League.
Amorim, at least, has spoken with candour about his and Man United's situation. He knows things need to change, and he knows that results have not been good enough, having won 19 of 50 matches at the helm.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe, at least outwardly, has given the 40-year-old is full support, but it can't go on like this. Results need to change, fast. Should it prove more of the same after the October international break, INEOS may well bite the bullet and end Amorim's stay.
Post-Fergie Man Utd Manager Win Records (PL)
Manager
Jose Mourinho
Erik ten Hag
Ole Gunnar Solskjær
Louis van Gaal
David Moyes
Ralf Rangnick
Ruben Amorim*
*before Sunderland
Data via Statmuse
A number of candidates have already been earmarked, and there's one who might strike fans as particularly curious.
Man Utd could sign a more radical coach than Amorim
Manchester United. Never ordinary. 'Hated, ignored, but never ignored' is more than just a mantra; it is a truth, and the club need a big personality with tactics proven to work in the Premier League.
Roberto de Zerbi, with this in mind, could be the perfect coach to take the hot seat at the Theatre of Dreams, having previously impressed as the manager of Brighton & Hove Albion before leaving in 2024 and joining Marseille.
roberto-de-zerbi-marseille-ligue-1
Last season, the possession-based tactician guided Marseille to a second-placed finish in Ligue 1, having languished to an eighth-place conclusion previously. They are third this term, with four wins from six outings.
Well, according to transfer insider Graeme Bailey, De Zerbi is very much on Man United's shortlist "if and when" they decide to move on from Amorim, very well regarded at the top end of the INEOS hierarchy.
Aged 46, De Zerbi might field a more conventional 4-2-3-1 formation than Amorim's controversial three-back line-up, but he's certainly more radical on the spectrum than most.
roberto-de-zerbi-brighton-and-hove-albion
He has a fan in Pep Guardiola, who praised the "unique" style of football the Italian implements and remarked that he "monopolises the ball in a way it hasn't been for a long time."
Finishing, the Manchester City boss made quite the claim, saying he is "one of the most influential managers of the last 20 years."
A complicated, sharp-witted manager, De Zerbi's Marseille completed more passes (3092) in Ligue 1 last season than any other side not hailing from the capital, and his desire to attack the press and implement through a short build-up is something not wildly different to Amorim's vision, but perhaps could be better implemented at Old Trafford.
He has, after all, actually proven himself in the Premier League, instrumental in taking a Brighton side who had a reputation for attractive football after their promotion and then shaping them into something sustainable and competitive at the higher end of the division.
Across the 2023/24 campaign, only Man City completed more passes than the Seagulls, so it's clear to see why he has a fan in Pep. If De Zerbi were to arrive at Man United and get a tune out of the underperforming Redmen, there's no reason why this couldn't be a style of football to propel the club back into the limelight, consistently challenging for the biggest prizes once again.
Premier League 23/24: Most Passes
Club
Manchester City
Brighton & Hove Albion
Liverpool
Tottenham Hotspur
Chelsea
Manchester United
Stats via Premier League
Last season, Man United finished fifth in the Premier League passing charts, having completed 15,931 across the campaign. FBref also reveal Brighton achieved an xG (expected goals) total of 56.8 that year, whereas United hit only 52.6 across the 2024/25 campaign.
Described as "one of the best coaches in the world" by his players at the Stade Velodrome, De Zerbi might be somewhat radical in his tactical vision, but he has proven himself in the Premier League and earned the admiration and respect of the division's heavyweights.
This is what Man United need. Amorim might be a left-field thinker, but he's trying to fit square pegs into round holes, and a freshen-up looks like it would be the best thing for all parties at this stage.