But do the issues extend beyond Van Gaal? Less discussed is the structure at the top of the club that, on the evidence of a troubled transfer policy, long delays in revamping the academy set-up and confusion among outside parties over the channels of communication, would appear to require some rigorous assessment. One of the most repeated refrains is that Ed Woodward, United’s executive vice-chairman, through whom all the power flows at Old Trafford, is juggling too many balls and, moreover, lacks the football expertise required at the best of times, but most obviously during periods of instability.

David Gill, the former United chief executive, benefited from a stable environment born largely of the success of Ferguson. Woodward, by contrast, has been operating in a state of near permanent flux, with the former investment banker running a business for the first time while successive managers flounder, all while trying to get to grips with the peculiar inner workings of the transfer market. The Woodward/Van Gaal axis is not too far removed from the Ivan Gazidis/Arsène Wenger power base at Arsenal, but as experiences in North London prove, stability does not guarantee on-pitch success and can lead to questions about the merits of having such a tiny concentration of power at the top.