Rio Ferdinand believes Manchester United would be naive to sack Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, despite taking just nine points from their first nine games.
It is the worst start to a season in 30 years at Old Trafford, but the former defender does not think Solskjaer should pay with his job.
They sit 12th in the Premier League just two points above the relegation zone with only two wins to their name.
But Ferdinand wants to see his former team-mate given time to turn things around at the club.
'There's no way the club would have thought this would be rosy straight away, they're not naive enough to think that it was going to be a situation where he just changes it overnight,' he told talkSPORT.
'This is definitely something where there is going to be early pain, there is going to be a situation where the results are not going to go our way, especially with the new recruitment that they've started to go with younger players.
'That's why I don't see there being a change straight away, I'd be very surprised if I wake up, open a paper or an app and see that he has gone so quickly.'
United return to action after the international break when they host runaway leaders Liverpool on October 20.