After losing 3-0 to Manchester City at Old Trafford last time out – Erling Haaland showing no mercy with two goals in a comprehensive victory for Pep Guardiola's men – Erik ten Hag cut a forlorn figure again on the touchline as Manchester United boss.
It's not out of the ordinary in recent years for Guardiola's high-flyers to humiliate their rivals on their own patch, the gap between the two sides frightening and ever-growing.
It puts even more pressure on the shoulders of the Dutch head coach attempting to turn things around with the Red Devils, who continue to struggle and ultimately fold on the big occasion.
Five defeats from their opening ten matches in the Premier League is way off where an expectant Man United fanbase thought they would be under Ten Hag, the ex-Ajax head coach was meant to be the catalyst for change at Old Trafford when appointed.
Yet, it's pointing in the direction now of another managerial dismissal similar to the likes of Ralf Rangnick, Ole Gunnar Solskjær and Jose Mourinho before him – all unable to reach the heights expected of them.
The Red Devils could, therefore, look towards a serial winner to replace their current boss which would certainly appease the restless natives at the Theatre of Dreams – previous interest in Zinedine Zidane could well be reignited as a statement appointment.
Man United manager news – Zinedine Zidane
First linked with a switch to Manchester in 2021 according to football journalist Duncan Castles of the Telegraph, the iconic Frenchman's name could well pop back up in the list of names rumoured to replace Ten Hag who remains on extremely thin ice.
Zidane's agent would reject multiple advances from the Red Devils at the time, the 51-year-old taking time out of football after departing Real Madrid.
Man United would eventually settle for Rangnick, another notable misfire in their ongoing back catalogue of failed managerial appointments.
But, with the pressure ramping up on Ten Hag to fix the situation at Man United fast, Zidane should well be in the running to finally come to Old Trafford as boss to turn around the fortunes of the underperforming giants.
Zinedine Zidane's immense trophy collection
Two years now out of the managerial game, you imagine Zidane will be raring for a return to the limelight and Man United could present the former Ballon d'Or winner turned head coach with an opportunity to find his feet again.
Zidane would raise the standards at Old Trafford tremendously, the 51-year-old determined to win at all costs which saw his Real Madrid teams dominate the Champions League – the Frenchman spearheading his elite group to three Champions League titles in a row, the third and final honour coming at the expense of Liverpool with Gareth Bale's overhead kick stealing the show in a 3-1 victory.
He has also never lost a game versus Man United in his entire managerial career, beating the Red Devils 2-1 in the 2017 Super Cup final to add another trophy to his extensive collection as Los Blancos manager.
Burning out at the Bernabeu eventually, Zidane could well fancy the opportunity to kickstart a resurgence at the Theatre of Dreams if he was to return to the cut and thrust of managing again. Ten Hag may well have won trophies in the Netherlands but he doesn't have the CV that one of France's greatest players possesses.
Expectations would have to be tempered somewhat. Ten Hag was meant to be this saviour-like figure for the Red Devils when swapping Amsterdam for pastures new in Greater Manchester and it hasn't gone according to plan whatsoever.
Zidane would have to navigate through choppy waters initially, with the Man United job arguably a poisoned chalice ever since Sir Alex Ferguson walked away from his post ten years ago.
