The Red Devils have won just four major trophies since Ferguson’s departure, with their most recent – a Carabao Cup win last season – ending a six-year wait for silverware.

United has not won a Premier League title since the Scot’s final season in charge, with six managers failing to reclaim the top-flight crown since then.

This season, Erik ten Hag’s side is at risk of recording the club's lowest league finish and points tally, as it sits eighth on 54 points with two games remaining.

Beckham, who won 13 trophies, including six Premier League titles and the Champions League, told The Athletic: "I think it has been a difficult time over the last five or ten years, but it was always going to be when the boss left the club.

"It wasn’t just that, we lost players like Ryan Giggs, Roy Keane and Gary Neville, all of these players that had been at United for so long; you lose part of that, and you lose part of the club.

"So it was always going to be a difficult time. But we’d like it to change pretty quickly because I think it’s gone on for too long now."

United has lost 19 games in all competitions this season, its most since 1977-1978 (also 19), with nine of those coming at Old Trafford – its joint-most at home in a season and the first time it has happened in the Premier League.

The 1-0 defeat to Arsenal marked the first time United had conceded in 10 successive games in all competitions since October 2021, while the 82 goals it has let in this season is its most since 1970-1971 (also 82).

Beckham was speaking at the premiere of 99, the Amazon Prime documentary covering United’s iconic treble-winning season 25 years ago.