Was it the sight of green and gold scarves in the away end which provoked the first sustained anti-Glazer protests of the season inside Old Trafford? Was it because the transfer window is open and speculation surrounding Sporting midfielder Bruno Fernandes had heightened over the preceding 24 hours?

Was it because Ed Woodward's annual earnings were revealed in club accounts a day earlier; £3.16m for a season in which Manchester United finished sixth and missed out qualifying for the Champions League? Was it a response to the defeat four days earlier, when Manchester City wiped the floor with their neighbours?

Or was it because United were actually playing well? The chants directed at the Glazer ownership and Woodward - some more unsavoury than others - only began once Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side had gone 3-0 up against Norwich, after a Marcus Rashford penalty and Anthony Martial header had all but assured them of victory.

It emanated from a section of the Stretford End reserved for the Red Army, a group of United fans who are working with the club to improve Old Trafford’s match day atmosphere. Their efforts have been well received by insiders and encouraged by discounted drink prices in that section of the ground. You wonder, after Saturday, whether those prices will start going up.

The chanting lasted for around 15 minutes all told and jarred with the harmony of United's play on the pitch. It was briefly interrupted by the fourth goal, scored by Mason Greenwood, but it started up again soon after. And on a day when practically everything went right for Solskjaer, it was the only difficult topic of conversation in his post-match press conference.

Ratings: Manchester United vs Norwich Show all 22 1 /22 Ratings: Manchester United vs Norwich Ratings: Manchester United vs Norwich David de Gea - 7 MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - JANUARY 07: David de Gea of Manchester United walks off after the Carabao Cup Semi Final match between Manchester United and Manchester City at Old Trafford on January 07, 2020 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Tom Purslow/Manchester United via Getty Images) Manchester United via Getty Imag Ratings: Manchester United vs Norwich Aaron Wan-Bissaka - 7 MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - JANUARY 11: Aaron Wan-Bissaka of Manchester United in action with Alexander Tettey of Norwich City during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Norwich City at Old Trafford on January 11, 2020 in Manchester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Matthew Peters/Manchester United via Getty Images) Manchester United via Getty Imag Ratings: Manchester United vs Norwich Victor Lindelof - 7 MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - JANUARY 11: Victor Lindelof of Manchester United in action with Adam Idah of Norwich City during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Norwich City at Old Trafford on January 11, 2020 in Manchester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Matthew Peters/Manchester United via Getty Images) Manchester United via Getty Imag Ratings: Manchester United vs Norwich Harry Maguire - 7 MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - JANUARY 11: Harry Maguire of Manchester United battles for possession with Emiliano Buendia of Norwich City during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Norwich City at Old Trafford on January 11, 2020 in Manchester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images) Getty Images Ratings: Manchester United vs Norwich Brandon Williams - 8 MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - JANUARY 11: Brandon Williams of Manchester United in action during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Norwich City at Old Trafford on January 11, 2020 in Manchester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Matthew Peters/Manchester United via Getty Images) Manchester United via Getty Imag Ratings: Manchester United vs Norwich Fred - 7 Manchester United's Brazilian midfielder Fred gestures during the English Premier League football match between Manchester United and Norwich City at Old Trafford in Manchester, north west England, on January 11, 2020. (Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images) AFP via Getty Images Ratings: Manchester United vs Norwich Nemanja Matic - 7 MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - JANUARY 11: Nemanja Matic of Manchester United in action during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Norwich City at Old Trafford on January 11, 2020 in Manchester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Tom Purslow/Manchester United via Getty Images) Manchester United via Getty Imag Ratings: Manchester United vs Norwich Juan Mata - 8 MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - JANUARY 11: Juan Mata of Manchester United in action during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Norwich City at Old Trafford on January 11, 2020 in Manchester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Matthew Peters/Manchester United via Getty Images) Manchester United via Getty Imag Ratings: Manchester United vs Norwich Andreas Pereira - 7 MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - JANUARY 11: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Manager of Manchester United has words with Andreas Pereira of Manchester United during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Norwich City at Old Trafford on January 11, 2020 in Manchester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images) Getty Images Ratings: Manchester United vs Norwich Marcus Rashford - 8 MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - JANUARY 11: Marcus Rashford of Manchester United celebrates after scoring his team's second goal during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Norwich City at Old Trafford on January 11, 2020 in Manchester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images) Getty Images Ratings: Manchester United vs Norwich Anthony Martial - 8 Manchester United's French striker Anthony Martial (L) celebrates scoring their third goal during the English Premier League football match between Manchester United and Norwich City at Old Trafford in Manchester, north west England, on January 11, 2020. (Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images) AFP via Getty Images Ratings: Manchester United vs Norwich Tim Krul - 5 Manchester United's English striker Marcus Rashford (R) puts the ball past Norwich City's Dutch goalkeeper Tim Krul (L) to score the opening goal during the English Premier League football match between Manchester United and Norwich City at Old Trafford in Manchester, north west England, on January 11, 2020. (Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images) AFP via Getty Images Ratings: Manchester United vs Norwich Max Aarons - 5 MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - JANUARY 11: Max Aarons of Norwich City is tackled by Anthony Martial of Manchester United during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Norwich City at Old Trafford on January 11, 2020 in Manchester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images) Getty Images Ratings: Manchester United vs Norwich Christoph Zimmermann - 6 Manchester United's English striker Marcus Rashford (R) crosses as Norwich City's German defender Christoph Zimmermann (L) defends during the English Premier League football match between Manchester United and Norwich City at Old Trafford in Manchester, north west England, on January 11, 2020. (Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images) AFP via Getty Images Ratings: Manchester United vs Norwich Grant Hanley - 6 MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - JANUARY 11: Anthony Martial of Manchester United in action with Grant Hanley of Norwich City during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Norwich City at Old Trafford on January 11, 2020 in Manchester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Tom Purslow/Manchester United via Getty Images) Manchester United via Getty Imag Ratings: Manchester United vs Norwich Sam Byram - 6 MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - JANUARY 11: Andreas Pereira of Manchester United in action with Sam Byram of Norwich City during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Norwich City at Old Trafford on January 11, 2020 in Manchester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Matthew Peters/Manchester United via Getty Images) Manchester United via Getty Imag Ratings: Manchester United vs Norwich Alexander Tettey - 5 Manchester United's English striker Marcus Rashford (R) beats Norwich City's Ghanaian-born Norwegian midfielder Alexander Tettey with a back heel and turn during the English Premier League football match between Manchester United and Norwich City at Old Trafford in Manchester, north west England, on January 11, 2020. (Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images) AFP via Getty Images Ratings: Manchester United vs Norwich Mario Vrancic - 6 MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - JANUARY 11: Fred of Manchester United battles for possession with Mario Vrancic of Norwich City during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Norwich City at Old Trafford on January 11, 2020 in Manchester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images) Getty Images Ratings: Manchester United vs Norwich Emi Buendia - 6 NORWICH, ENGLAND - JANUARY 01: Emi Buendia of Norwich City during the Premier League match between Norwich City and Crystal Palace at Carrow Road on January 1, 2020 in Norwich, United Kingdom. (Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images) Getty Images Ratings: Manchester United vs Norwich Kenny McLean - 6 Norwich City's Scottish midfielder Kenny McLean runs away from Manchester United's Brazilian midfielder Fred (R) during the English Premier League football match between Norwich City and Manchester United at Carrow Road in Norwich, eastern England on October 27, 2019. (Photo by Adrian DENNIS / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty Images) AFP via Getty Images Ratings: Manchester United vs Norwich Todd Cantwell - 6 MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - JANUARY 11: Anthony Martial of Manchester United battles for possession with Todd Cantwell of Norwich City during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Norwich City at Old Trafford on January 11, 2020 in Manchester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images) Getty Images Ratings: Manchester United vs Norwich Adam Idah - 5 MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - JANUARY 11: Adam Idah of Norwich City reacts during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Norwich City at Old Trafford on January 11, 2020 in Manchester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images) Getty Images

“I'm not sure if the players [heard] it but I noticed, yes,” he said, before appealing to the fans for unity. “As a club we've got to stick together. We've got to be united. We are a family. I can only say from when I've been here I've been backed by the owners, I've been backed by Ed and they're supporting me. So for me, make sure they stick together.”

This is awkward ground for Solskjaer and not only because it pits him between the supporters and his paymasters. He has taken sides in the past, speaking out against the Glazers while still a United player in 2005 and having become a patron of Shareholders United, a group seeking to frustrate the leveraged buy-out.

Sir Alex Ferguson is thought to have taken a fairly dim view of those comments at the time and Solskjaer is now the one sitting in Ferguson’s chair. As we all know, the Scot is the greatest influence on his managerial career. His defence of the club hierarchy and attempt to be a bridge between them and the fans should therefore surprise no one.

Solskjaer went on to point out - somewhat optimistically - that United are still fighting in all four competitions which they entered at the start of the season.

“[The supporters have] just got to believe me when I say I feel we are doing loads of good things behind the scenes,” he added. “We are going in the right direction. See the group today; the attitude, the work-rate, that's the core of the group that's going to go forward.”

But the most striking fact about Saturday’s events was that they came when that attitude and work rate which Solskjaer spoke about was on display.

This was a good day for United but fans made their feelings known regardless. Whatever the rights and wrongs of what was heard from the Stretford End, that context means their protests cannot easily be dismissed as a knee-jerk reaction to a poor performance.

Nor could its authenticity be questioned. Most examples of anti-Glazer sentiment over the last year have come online, in hashtags and trending topics. Many match-going supporters have criticisms of the way the club is run but also make a distinction between themselves and the most vociferous on social media, where anonymity puts legitimacy in doubt.

That was not the case on Saturday, when a small but significant group of regular match-going supporters made their feelings known. In the same way that a good win at home over near-certainties for relegation did little to answer questions about Solskjaer’s suitability for the manager’s job, it also could not mask an undercurrent of discontent within the fan base.