There are only two ways Manchester United can ease this miserable season. Win the last three matches and, if not, play some sparkling stuff that offers hope for the future. On Monday night they achieved the first part of the quest to claim all their available final points. And also the second: this was as good as Ralf Rangnick’s team have performed during his stewardship.
It was crowned by Raphaël Varane’s 72nd-minute goal, his first for United, from a corner, 60 seconds before a walkout from the constituency disgruntled at the Glazer family. This was not observed in the numbers hoped for by the organisers: a sign of how the on-field product pleased home fans.
