Mauricio Pochettino is set to become the next manager on the conveyor belt at Manchester United but it is hard to see any change in results without a major overhaul.
For years the problem has been the recruitment and the decision making at board level - and while everything else changes, this doesn't.
Michael Carrick will be the latest fall guy but most fans have to ask what could he have done differently with those players.
In attack Benjamin Sesko has been injured, Bryan Mbeumo has replaced him but has not been able to lead the line as a target man and there are no other realistic alternatives.
Carrick has tried plenty of different approaches in midfield with limited success and similarly with the defence.
The club were woefully unprepared for this season and now will have to pay out again for the removal of Carrick.
United have already laid the groundwork for a potential move for the former Tottenham, Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea manager.
United have collected just eight points from their opening 10 Premier League matches and sit in the relegation zone which has put pressure on the board to make a change.
Carrick was back at Carrington on Wednesday to take training, but there was still no official word on his position following a meeting involving senior United figures in Monaco.
Director of football Jason Wilcox and chief executive Omar Berrada travelled to the principality to meet co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who oversees football operations and would need to approve any managerial change alongside the Glazers.
Although United sources had insisted earlier in the week that no decision had been made, the emergence of a framework to recruit Pochettino suggests contingency planning is already well advanced.
The Argentine is understood to be interested in taking charge at Old Trafford, despite signing a contract extension with the United States national team as recently as August, committing him to the role until 2030.
US Soccer would reportedly be entitled to compensation of around £7.4million through a release clause, with the governing body understood to have a succession plan ready should Pochettino depart.
The timing is particularly significant with the United States preparing for their Nations League quarter-final against Haiti. Pochettino was due to face the media on Friday, although scheduled player media appearances were cancelled in observance of Veterans Day.
Pochettino has previously held discussions with United about the managerial position, including in 2022, when the club ultimately opted to appoint Erik ten Hag.
Meanwhile, Carrick's handling of the situation is reportedly causing frustration both inside and outside Old Trafford.
The former United midfielder was given another opportunity to turn things around following discussions between Wilcox and Berrada after a damaging run of results, including a 4-1 Champions League defeat to Como and a 3-0 home loss against Bournemouth.
However, defeats against Chelsea and further dropped points against Aston Villa have intensified the pressure, despite an impressive 3-2 Champions League comeback victory over Roma in between.
Following Sunday's remarkable 4-4 draw against Villa, Carrick insisted he had no intention of walking away and was preparing for the usual international-break training schedule.
"I'm pretty clear where we need to go and how we need to get there," he said.
Carrick also outlined plans to work with the players remaining at Carrington while others travelled away on international duty.
United return to Premier League action on November 22 with a daunting trip to rivals Liverpool.
Whether Carrick will still be in charge for that fixture is unlikely, with Pochettino now emerging as a potential successor should Ratcliffe and the club's hierarchy decide a change is necessary.
loading
