Manchester United can't afford to delay the inevitable. Despite a resilient defensive showing earning a 0-0 draw against Aston Villa on Sunday, the sack is looming for Erik ten Hag. And the October international break serves as the ideal time to make the call, with United already falling out of touch with their rivals.
As a standalone result, taking a point from Villa Park days after Bayern Munich tasted defeat in the Champions League on the same pitch isn't the end of the world.
But it was never going to be heralded when it confirmed the club's worst-ever Premier League points tally after seven games.
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United are slumped in 14th, having only won two games, scored just five goals and suffered three losses, two of which were by a 3-0 scoreline at home.
In the Europa League, FC Twente took a point from Old Trafford before Harry Maguire's last-gasp header rescued a 3-3 draw at Porto after United surrendered a 2-0 lead.
I was among those who gave Ten Hag the benefit of the doubt after watching his side beat Manchester City in the FA Cup final in May.
Last season was atrocious before that historic day at Wembley, but two major trophies in as many years was a difficult record to argue against.
INEOS felt the same. They extended Ten Hag's contract by one year until 2026 and handed the Dutchman another £200million to spend in the summer transfer window.
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Fast forward a few months, and all the optimism and hope that FA Cup glory bred has evaporated. Three victories in 11 matches in all competitions will do that.
United are 10 points off the Premier League summit, six behind the top four and just five above the relegation zone.
Now is the time to make a change, be it Ruud van Nistelrooy on an interim basis following his shrewd appointment or a permanent replacement from outside of Ten Hag's coaching staff.
There is no point delaying the inevitable. United's previous football decision-makers made that mistake in the dying embers of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's reign.
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The writing was on the wall for the Dutchman after a four-match Premier League run that included a 4-2 defeat at Leicester City, Liverpool's 5-0 rout at Old Trafford and a 2-0 home loss in the Manchester derby.
Then came the November international break, and United's hierarchy decided to ignore the outside noise and stick with Solskjaer.
The Red Devils lost 4-1 at Watford on their return to action on November 20. The axe swung almost immediately afterwards.
Offering Ten Hag more time risks doing more irreparable harm to the club's aims this season. Brentford, who visit M16 on October 19, may hope that's the option they take.
