Manchester United fans have been dealt a brutal reality check.In a season that initially offered so much hope, the same challenges have once again emerged without warning.Manchester United have made another underwhelming start to the seasonGettyTwo home defeats in the space of four days did little to enthuse supporters who may otherwise have fallen into a false state of security following the 4-0 Champions League destruction of Azerbaijani minnows FK Sabah.Last weekend’s controversial 1-0 defeat to ten-man Manchester City left United in 13th place and already eight-points off the top.Their cataclysmic collapse in midweek, throwing away a two-goal lead before being dumped out of the Carabao Cup by Brighton, felt like the needle mover.Not because United fans haven’t become accustomed to the inexplicable over the last decade, but instead due to the same mistakes being repeated.Millions invested in the team, a plethora of managers all hoping they can be the one to turn the Old Trafford tide, but ultimately, the same end result.Boss Michael Carrick, a man who contributed to the club’s glory days, is now firmly in the firing line while fans have again slipped to a low ebb.For talkSPORT’s chief football correspondent Alex Crook, the chances of the Red Devils lifting another Premier League title are minuscule, regardless of who is in the dugout.The Manchester United fan provided his sobering reality on the latest episode of talkSPORT’s Fiery Fridays podcast.The glory days are over…“So the realisation for me and my hot take this week, I’m 44 now, probably not going to live until I’m 100, realistically,” Crook began.“Even if I did, I don’t think United are going to win the title in my lifetime, I don’t think it’s going to happen.United’s last league title came in 2013 and they have come nowhere close to repeating the feat ever sinceGetty“My big wish now, I’ve been there and seen it, I’ve had the glory days, I want us to win something significant so I can share the moment with my two lads who I’ve forced into following in my footsteps.“But I don’t think that’s a realistic ambition anymore, I just think they’re so far behind.“All the time the players are in situ and INEOS and Sir Jim Ratcliffe come in and make the situation worse in my opinion, and not better.“They’ve put people like Jason Wilcox and Omar Berrada in positions that their CVs don’t really warrant.“They’ve destroyed the morale of the football club, the fans hate INEOS and Ratcliffe as much as they despise the Glazers.”Asked how the 20-time top-flight champions return to competing for Premier League titles and the Champions League, Crook provided fans with a huge dose of reality.Man United fan Crook has resigned himself to eternal Premier League failure“We’re going to have to cherish that win over Sabah because we played a pub team,” he added.“We’re not going to play anybody else as bad as that for the rest of the season and I fear we’re not going to get out of the Champions League, League phase.“How embarrassing would that be if we ended up getting knocked out and not even qualifying for the extra round at the end of it?‘The club is broken’“I’m just really down about the club, it’s completely broken to me, I know it was 26 years between titles last time around, it has been 13 already, so we’re halfway there.“I’m not sure there’s a genius in the surrounding areas who’s going to come in and save us.“There’s not an Eric Cantona coming over the hills to completely rewrite the history of this football club.The rot has long set in at Old Trafford and Crook believes minority owners INEOS are not helping the causeGetty“And actually, only three men [managers] have ever won the league title at Manchester United, I don’t think there’s going to be a fourth.”Voice of talkSPORT Adrian Durham concurred with his broadcast colleague’s desperate monologue.He quipped: “I think you are going to live forever, Crooky, to be honest with you, the way you live your life and there’s no consequences, you are going to live forever.“So, Man United are never going to win the league again, I cannot see that happening any time soon and even after that, you’ve got to rebuild a squad, others will be growing at the same time“The scary thing about it is, Arsenal are incredibly well run, it’s incredibly stable, they’ve got about three players for every position, and I don’t even think Man City are going to get that close to them this season, even though they’ve started well.“So, yes, Man United are absolutely miles off it, I make you absolutely right.”Man United’s last trophy came in the 2024 FA Cup finalGettyHaving the final say, United fan Angelina Kelly then joked: “We don’t know how long Crook will live, I was trying to give him at least another 40 years for argument’s sake“United had to wait 41 years before, so maybe it’ll be similar, who knows?“But I agree as well, the ownership’s lack of ambition is clearly the problem and they’re never going to turn things around if they don’t actually sort out the root of the issues.”Manchester United head to Fulham on Sunday needing a win to get their domestic campaign back on track.Following the three-week international break, a crucial run of fixtures await Carrick’s side.United face key clashes with Tottenham, Leeds and Chelsea, with trips to Atletico Madrid and Como up next in the Champions League.