For all the progress Manchester United have made this season, the possibility of missing out on a return to Champions League football, after all, is becoming an alarming possibility.
Since ending the trophy drought at the end of February, United have begun to falter and lose their consistency as the demanding fixture schedule has taken its toll and injuries have stacked up. Even in the matches Erik ten Hag's side have managed to win in recent weeks, it's clear the team is fading and is desperate to reach the finish line after such a gruelling campaign.
United haven't scored more than two goals in a game since the FA Cup quarter-final win over Fulham and all three of them only came after the Cottagers had imploded and seen two men sent off. After that, you have to go back to March 9 since the side's last dominant, comprehensive victory, when they stuck four past Real Betis.
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It's not due to a lack of quality. United have started nearly every match over the last month excellently and have often raced into comfortable leads, sometimes looking as though they were about to blow away their opponents, only to then either throw it all away or nervously escape by the skin of their teeth.
They have only managed to score in the second half in two of their last ten matches and those came against Nottingham Forest and Everton, two-thirds of the current bottom three. It has become an obvious and concerning trend that United fade away after the break and are unable to maintain their dominance and control.
It highlights Ten Hag's desire for another quality midfielder as no other player at his disposal is able to replicate Christian Eriksen's role in the side and it's clear United lose their way once their best distributor grows fatigued. This circles around to the biggest issue, United simply don't have a good enough squad.
It speaks volumes of the dreadful squad management over the last decade considering the grotesque amount of money spent on it, but United's strength in depth is about as deep as a puddle. When key players have been unavailable or off their game, the manager has had few ways to change things up.
This has been especially true since Alejandro Garnacho has been injured since March 12. But thankfully for Ten Hag, the winger is finally back in the fold.
The drop-off in performances, especially the draw at Tottenham, has made their seemingly nailed-on spot in the top four and a return to Champions League football worryingly insecure. Liverpool's win on Sunday, their fifth in a row, means they are now just a point behind in fifth. They have played two games more but United need to make their games in hand count. Which makes Sunday's clash with West Ham a pivotal one and Garnacho's return even more welcome.
The Argentine livewire has been out for seven weeks with an ankle injury he suffered in the goalless draw against Southampton but is finally back in the squad for Sunday's trip to London. He may only be fit enough to make the bench, but that's the perfect place for him.
Garnacho has enjoyed a brilliant breakthrough campaign and United have done very well to secure his long-term future given Real Madrid's reported interest and his sky-high potential. Due to his youth and rawness, though, he hasn't really been able to make much impact when starting games.
Instead, it's when he has been deployed as an impact substitute in which he has consistently made positive, often crucial, contributions to the side. Only two of his 11 goal contributions so far this season have come from starts with his two goals and two assists in the Premier League including setting up the winner against Manchester City, coming off the bench.
Garnacho is one of the few proven game-changers Ten Hag can turn to in order to swing the momentum of a match into United's favour. Thanks to his fearlessness and directness on the ball, his bewitching skill and his quality in the final third, the teenager brings added impetus and energy when the side is lacking in ideas.
United rarely lose in the Premier League when Garnacho comes on. The only exceptions are two one-minute cameos in defeats to Brighton and Arsenal and an introduction when the game was already well lost against Liverpool. Whereas they've lost four matches without him.
Two of those have come in this spell on the sidelines. It's clear how much United have missed Garnacho, a player who can come on to lift the side when legs are beginning to tire, who can bring a spark to a fading team.
But on Sunday he's back and his return could not come at a better time.
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