Paul Scholes has claimed that it will take Manchester United two years to be competing again with the Premier League's best teams.
The Red Devils have made a poor start to the season, taking five points from their first four fixtures.
Having dropped points against Wolves, Crystal Palace and Southampton this season, there is a fear that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's men will once again miss out on a top-four finish.
Chelsea and Arsenal are also in transitional periods, which offers some hope to United, although they will also have to fend off Everton and Leicester City who are hopeful of disrupting the top six.
However, the ex-United and England midfielder believes that United's early-season results show they are still some way off the pace of the top four and it could be up to two years before they're competing again.
Scholes said: "I think you almost have to write United off for the next two years - this team - until Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has cleared everything he wants out; has four or five transfer windows.
"United are going to be behind Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea and Tottenham.
"I think this is United at the minute; you have to be patient with the young players but the experienced players have to step up.
"We've seen over and over again how many mistakes experienced players are making. It's difficult for young players to come into a team like that."
