Manchester United no longer act, they are simply buffeted by events: Old Trafford's bungling hierarchy could have moved for Pochettino, Conte or Zidane but stuck with Solskjaer even when he was plainly drowning... now they have no boss and no plan

There were two weeks, just passed, in which Manchester United could have got the house in order. Could have planned for change, plotted a way out of this latest crisis.

Instead, they chose torpor. They froze. They channelled the spirit, not of Ferguson or Busby, but of Wilkins Micawber.

Something will turn up, they concluded. And something did. A 4-1 defeat, by Watford.

From this we can conclude one thing: Manchester United are not run even half as well as Norwich, or Aston Villa.