Jorge Mendes, dressed as meticulously as ever in a very expensive dark suit, was in the directors’ box at Old Trafford. No great surprise there. Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Chinese owners have a stake in the holding company of his agency, Gestifute, and he is also the man helping to broker Bruno Fernandes’ proposed move to Manchester United.

Mendes does not officially represent Fernandes. Miguel Pinho is the Portugal midfielder’s agent. But few are quite as adept at getting deals done as the Portuguese super agent and, as United fans wait eagerly for a positive conclusion to negotiations, they can only hope if Fernandes arrives that he proves as influential an addition to their side as the Portuguese midfielders - Joao Moutinho and Ruben Neves - Mendes has helped sign to elevate Wolves in recent times.

With Scott McTominay and Paul Pogba out injured until the end of next month, United are certainly in need of quality additions and, while no-one can be quite sure what Fernandes will bring, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer may be knocking even harder on Ed Woodward’s door for signings after seeing Marcus Rashford last all of 16 minutes here before being withdrawn.

Woodward was not at Old Trafford on Wednesday night but it is fair to say the news about Rashford trudging gingerly towards the tunnel holding the left side of his back will have filtered through quickly to the United executive vice-chairman. United’s squad is not one that can swallow injuries to big players this season and, with McTominay and Pogba already out and Harry Maguire playing with a hip muscle tear, the last thing Solskjaer can afford is for Rashford to spend any real time on the sidelines, not least with a trip to Anfield looming on Sunday.