The surprise on Wednesday was that it took as long as the 58th minute before Wayne Rooney worked his way into the referee’s notebook. He had seemed in danger of boiling over for some time before a foul on Danny Ings drew a yellow card as frustration at his own, and Manchester United’s general predicament, against Burnley grew. You know the scene: Rooney charging around, clipping a few heels, barking at the odd team-mate and giving the referee the occasional earful.

This used to be put down to immaturity and a volatile temperament born in part from a tendency to play ‘on the edge’ so to speak but for several years now Rooney has learned, with the odd exception, how to safely channel that intensity.