Bruno Fernandes deserves credit for keeping a straight face in his post-match interview.
A day after signing a new long-term deal worth £250,000-a-week, Fernandes had to front up and explain another insipid display from Manchester United.
It has become a recurring theme at United, players acknowledging their shortcomings, pledging to improve and conceding the fans deserve better. The most alarming aspect of the post-match offering from Fernandes is that he claimed United's players gave everything against Leicester, leaving nothing out on the pitch.
“Everyone gave everything,” said Fernandes. “I don’t believe there’s anyone who didn’t give everything in the game. Nobody lacked intensity." If that really was the case, if this was United's players giving their all for the iconic badge, physically and mentally, then the world's biggest club really is doomed.
This is the same Fernandes who jumped out of a 50-50 tackle in the move that led to Leicester's goal. He should be thankful former United skipper Roy Keane was not analysing this game, otherwise he would have been excoriated. There is so much wrong with this United squad and the entire structure around the team, it is difficult to know where to begin.
It has got to the stage where contenders for the vacant manager's job - with Ajax boss Erik ten Hag the favourite - may ultimately think twice about accepting the role, such is the scale of the task that awaits whoever is brave – or foolish - enough to take it on. After United's hopes of securing fourth were all but ended with this draw, interim boss Ralf Rangnick claimed it may only take two or three transfer windows to address their failings.
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“It takes right decisions - where you want to go, what kind of players, what kind of manager and then, in every transfer window, try to get the best possible,” said Rangnick. “This is possible. This is not rocket science. It has to be done and, if that happens, it doesn't necessarily need three or four years, maybe two or three transfer windows, then the situation could be different."
You have to admire Rangnick's positive spin, but United fans know it will take far more than a couple of transfer windows for their team to get anywhere near the level of rivals Manchester City and Liverpool. Where Rangnick was more forthright was in his admission City and Liverpool's teams have been built by managers who have been given time and who have a clear philosophy about the way they play.
“Manchester City and Liverpool have been built together and recruited over a period of five or six years,” said Rangnick. “Both under the premises of how the coaches want to play. This is what has to happen.
"I told the board this is what has to happen. Whenever the new head coach is clear, it has to be - how does he want to play and what kind of players do we need for that?”
As Rangnick says, it will take time, but United fans have had to endure long waits for success in the past, 26 years for the league title back in 1992. Given the current state of their team and the lack of direction on and off the pitch, it is not inconceivable they could face a similar wait again.
It is nine years since Sir Alex Ferguson retired on the back of their last league success, with United currently 22 points behind league leaders City. David Moyes, Ferguson's successor, was sacked in 2014 with United 23 points off the top. Four managers later and with more than £1billion spent on players, United are no further forward, mired in mediocrity, with no sign of a way out.
