Manchester United will be hoping for a much better result when they host Brighton at Old Trafford on Tuesday night, but failure to do so might actually help them in their long-term ambitions of getting back on track.
There has been a frustrating pattern to United's last three outings. They played irresistible football in the first-half, squandered an abundance of opportunities and then crumbled in the second-half, allowing teams to bounce back from the ropes and deliver their own knockout blows.
The last fortnight has once again highlighted the importance of appointing the correct manager at the end of the season in order to get the most from a talented squad, but it has also highlighted the complex string of issues which are deep-rooted in the organisation.
