It was a roar that rolled down from the highest points at Old Trafford and echoed around the stadium, the kind of noise befitting a top-six shootout in the Premier League under the floodlights.
It was the kind of sound that hasn't been heard enough in recent seasons, with fans disillusioned by the team in front of them, but this felt like the seal of approval for what Erik ten Hag wants to do with Manchester United. Even the sight of Cristiano Ronaldo taking his leave early couldn't overshadow a team performance that came without their biggest individual.
After 13 games when conclusions have been hard to draw, this felt the kind of night that can give lift-off to a new era. United's destruction of Tottenham was total in every aspect, maybe apart from the scoreline, which undoubtedly flattered Antonio Conte's team.
