Sir Alex Ferguson coined the phrase 'squeaky-bum time' 20 years ago, as April loomed. April is the acid test for a manager and Erik ten Hag's results are mixed.
Ten Hag's in-game changes have been one of United's biggest strengths this season but this month they have been one of their biggest weaknesses. They have contributed to negative results in three matches in April alone.
There was muddled thinking at Newcastle, United's capitulation against Sevilla started with the frivolous changes on the hour of the first leg and United were weakened with each batch of double-changes at Tottenham.
Also read: United players' full-time reactions show they know they blew it
Ten Hag was at least proactive. United were under the cosh as soon as the second half started and a goal was inevitable before Pedro Porro smacked in on 56 minutes.
The choice of personnel was still quizzical. Jadon Sancho had enjoyed his best hour of football in a year and Christian Eriksen was a vintage the Spurs supporters would have recognised.
"If you have seen the game you have seen also in the period after half time we lose control in the game," Ten Hag explained, "and I prepared the subs already before the 2-1 and you could see that goal coming.
"With Fred, you bring energy, one who can win the ball. On Sunday he was brilliant. And with Martial, you bring one who can keep the ball and you can have (Marcus) Rashy, Antony and Bruno (Fernandes) make runs behind and that was the idea."
Marcus Rashford isolated Eric Dier to devastating effect for United's second goal. Put yourself in Dier's position on the hour: Rashford moves further away and is replaced by Anthony Martial. Any defender would choose to be pitted against the pitiful Martial.
How could Wout Weghorst and Tyrell Malacia's introductions 10 minutes later not buoy Tottenham? One struggles to score and one struggles to defend. In defence, midfield and attack, Ten Hag knowingly weakened United.
Yet there is a troubling trend that spurred him into the changes. United are prone to conceding early goals in second halves. Opponents have scored 12 times within the first 15 minutes of the second half.
Of the 10 let in this calendar year, United only recovered to win against Manchester City, West Ham and Fulham - the latter two FA Cup ties. Bukayo Saka's equaliser at Old Trafford in September was countered by two Rashford goals made possible through his role switch with Cristiano Ronaldo.
That was Ronaldo's last hurrah in a meaningful club match. Ronaldo emerged two minutes prior to Saka's leveller but his impact came when he dropped off into the pockets, vacating space for Rashford to run into and secure the points through two counter-attacks.
Ronaldo's relative prominence that day almost places the result in a different era. It was Antony's debut, Casemiro had still not made his full debut, delayed by Scott McTominay and Malacia was a first-teamer.
Jacob Ramsey's 49th-minute contest-killer in the defeat at Aston Villa in November was Ronaldo's last appearance for United. If we are to draw a line under the Ronaldo era, then United have sieved 10 goals early in second halves.
Villa, United's opponents on Sunday, are responsible for two, having taken a 48th-minute lead in their League Cup third round defeat at Old Trafford.
Ten Hag used his own backside analogy with 'cow in the ass' to rationalise his changes against Sevilla. Louis van Gaal's phrase is perhaps more apposite for United at the start of second halves: "I twitch my ass."
United's early second-half goals conceded
United 3-1 Arsenal (Saka 60)
Aston Villa 3-1 United (Ramsey 49)
United 4-2 Villa (Watkins 48)
United 2-1 City (Grealish 60)
Arsenal 3-2 United (Saka 53)
United 2-2 Leeds (Varane OG 48)
Barcelona 2-2 United (Alonso 50)
United 3-1 West Ham (Benrahma 54)
Liverpool 7-0 United (Nunez 47, Gakpo 50)
United 3-1 Fulham (Mitrovic 50)
Sevilla 3-0 United (Bade 47)
Tottenham 2-2 United (Porro 56)
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