Manchester United's owners, the Glazer family, have sanctioned a three-year plan to restore the club's on-field fortunes, with sources having told ESPN FC there is now an acceptance the team is unlikely to challenge for the Premier League until the 2021-22 season at the earliest.
With traditional rivals Manchester City and Liverpool setting the standard in domestic and European football, the United hierarchy have noted how at Anfield, in particular, they have arrived at their status after rebuilding behind the scenes and backing manager Jurgen Klopp during the German's difficult first 18 months in charge.