Erik ten Hag vowed last month that his Manchester United players "like" playing in hostile atmospheres.
Ever since he made that confident declaration ahead of the Red Devils' trip to Anfield, it's become clear they don't.
Having just produced a solid display against Barcelona at the Camp Nou and fended off Newcastle at Wembley, the Old Trafford faithful were inclined to believe that within six months of his first season at the helm, Ten Hag had built a team with a strong enough backbone to hold the weight of their badge.
Up next was Liverpool away, a fixture which many fans, players and pundits see as the annual acid test for any United team. "I'm looking forward to it, the ambience, the atmosphere," Ten Hag declared pre-match. "It will be great, it will be hostile against us, but we like that."
The Red Devils weathered the storm in the dreaded first 20 minutes, only to concede right on the brink of half-time. Not to worry, though, Ten Hag's men had been making a habit of improving in second halves... Right?
45 minutes and six goals later, it was evident that after being bigged-up by their boss, United's stars who'd shone so bright in the weeks beforehand had let him down. "Yes [I am angry], definitely," Ten Hag fumed. "I am surprised because I have seen the last weeks and months this team is resilient and has a winning attitude.
"Second half we didn't have a winning attitude at all. We didn't stick to the plan and we didn't do our jobs. We didn't track back and it was really unprofessional."
Gary Neville cut his old team some slack, believing that the humiliating defeat was a one-off as far as this campaign goes. "It was a disgraceful result," the former Red Devils captain admitted. "But it's been out of character for this manager and this group of players over the last few months. They've improved enormously."
So, with the horror show of Anfield behind them, it was all about how United responded. Ten Hag told his players to expect more time with sports psychologist Rainier Koers in a bid to avoid such nightmares.
Three out of their next four games were at home and the only away fixture ended up being a dead rubber Europa League tie, thanks to beating Real Betis 4-1 in the first leg. Although the Red Devils picked up three wins, also progressing rather fortuitously in the FA Cup. the jury was still out on how well Ten Hag and co could deal with going to cauldron-like away ground, but they knew one was on the horizon.
Heading north after the international break, United faced a Newcastle side who were out for revenge following February's Carabao Cup final loss at Wembley and eager to stunt United's top-four ambitions by leapfrogging them in the table. The Red Devils had managed the final well at a packed Wembley but there was a feeling that Eddie Howe's team had more to give and an imposing St James' Park would also play its part.
Out came the flags, the chants, the passion. This was a cauldron fired up by a mission of vengeance for the Toon Army.
United's players braced themselves and then buckled. After an end-to-end start, Newcastle gained a stronghold and although they didn't take a lead into half-time like Liverpool, their all-round purpose-filled performance meant that Ten Hag needed to turn things around for the second half.
The Red Devils only offered more of the same; a frail defence, hollow middle and anonymous attack - a familiar sight to those who were watching from the away end at Anfield four weeks prior. Having criticised Newcastle for their time-wasting ahead of the cup final, Ten Hag attempted to give Howe's Magpies a taste of his own medicine by slowing the game down on numerous occasions.
That didn't matter, though, as soon enough Newcastle's pressure told through Joe Willock. Even changing half of his outfield line-up didn't work for the Dutch tactician, as the Red Devils succumbed to a second goal in the dying embers with Callum Wilson's planted header.
When the ball hit the back of the net for the second time, Ten Hag stood motionless in his technical area. He knew - regardless of tactics, strategy or game-plan - that after boldly claiming his players had the minerals to handle such a hostile atmosphere, he was wrong.
To further that point, United have now lost all six of their Premier League games away to sides in the top nine places. 4-0 at Brentford, 6-3 at Manchester City, 3-1 at Aston Villa, 3-2 at Arsenal and that 7-0 at Liverpool.
It's a problem which Ten Hag must solve if he's to achieve anything of great importance at Old Trafford. His side's home form may be impressive, but replicating it on the road is what the Red Devils need to strive for.
It doesn't even start with tactics either, United firstly need to want it more. "I don't think [Newcastle] won the game on quality today, they won it on passion, desire, hunger, attitude, and they had higher motivation than us and that can't be possible," defender Luke Shaw told Sky Sports. "I feel I say the same things every time we lose. It's not acceptable. At Manchester United that can't be possible."
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Ten Hag, stone-faced in the media room at St James' Park, was on the same damning page. "I totally agree with him. Newcastle wanted it more. They were more determined, passionate and had more desire."
Three successive fixtures at Old Trafford before four consecutive games on the road means that the Red Devils will have to wait a short while before making amends away from home. Trips to face Nottingham Forest, Sevilla, Tottenham await this month, as well as another visit to Wembley for an FA Cup semi-final against high-flying Brighton.
April is the cruelest month, they say, and home comforts only go so far.
