Eric Cantona says Jose Mourinho is not the right man for Manchester United and would much rather have Pep Guardiola, or himself, in charge.
United have endured a mixed start to the 2018-19 Premier League campaign, with six points from their first four games and defeats against Tottenham and Brighton.
That has seen Mourinho placed among the favourites in the betting market for the next top-flight manager to be sacked despite last season's run to second in the table, albeit a healthy distance behind rivals Manchester City.
And Cantona believes the man who guided City to their runaway 2017-18 title would have been a much better appointment for United than Mourinho, whose style of play he is also critical of.
"I like Mourinho. He has a good personality but not for United - they should have [Pep] Guardiola as coach," Cantona said in an exclusive interview with the Mail on Sunday.
"He should be there, but he is doing magic with that other club. The club I cannot name.
"It is early in the season... too early to tell. Manchester United is a great club and will always be great.
"They will win things, I know they will. But the way they play? Not good. The manager has them playing the wrong way for the fans. No fun, no creativity."
Cantona received a hero's welcome at Old Trafford in June when he played in the Soccer Aid charity match, and he said there would be no chance of defensive football if he was ever asked to take charge of United.
"I would like to coach and if they called me I would go. I would enjoy it. They know where I am. Then we would play creative football again," he added.
"It would be great for the fans, like it was with Alex Ferguson - he allowed players to be creative, treated them as individuals. All felt loved. He was always praising. A good man, a good leader."