Head coach Ruben Amorim increasingly appears to be the latest victim of United's culture of doom after overseeing an eighth defeat in 14 league games at Tottenham last weekend, in a scrappy contest that must have been one of the lowest-quality meetings between the two great clubs in decades.
In short, Amorim must be backed to transform the squad if he is to make a success of this project and do it his way, but United's owners look ill-equipped to provide it, as they carefully navigate profit and sustainability rules while Ratcliffe oversees a series of cuts to club staff.
At some point, presumably from the start of next season, however, results will have to matter again, and if Amorim still lacks the players he needs to make his system work, he will have to throw in the towel or compromise, which is precisely what did for his predecessor Erik ten Hag.
The Brazilian winger became the fourth most expensive player in Premier League history when he joined United from Ajax in 2022 but has a compelling claim to be the top-flight's worst-ever pound-for-pound signing, having managed two goals in his previous 59 league games.
It has not gone unnoticed at Manchester United that £86million flop Antony has scored and been named man of the match in each of his first three appearances for Real Betis since joining the Spanish club on loan in January.
