For different reasons, Gareth Southgate was probably looking forward to Manchester United’s first Premier League game of the season with as much groundless hope as the club’s faithful support.
The World Cup is little more than three months away and, when selecting his squad, the England manager would love to have a host of attacking options to choose from. And no doubt he would also like his central defensive linchpin to show some imperious club form.
Instead, after leaving Old Trafford on Sunday, Southgate must have been thinking the same as everybody else who had been in the stadium and the same as all those who had watched on television. What has happened to Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho? And is Harry Maguire ever going to recapture his best form? Among a lot of other things people were thinking, of course.
