It was more Manchester Disunited than Manchester United. An incoherent, disjointed performance in defeat by Wolves showed precious little evidence they had bought into Ralf Rangnick's thinking about pressing and tactics. Luke Shaw reflected afterwards that he didn't feel United were all there together. The left-back was not talking literally but fast forward to the end of the summer transfer window and he will be correct. They won't all be together.
If 2022 is bound to be a time of change at Old Trafford, with a new permanent manager, it is set to be the year of the clear-out. In part, that is necessary. United have a bloated, imbalanced squad, partly because of poor planning. In part, it may be because of choice: Some could be surplus to requirements if the next regime signs players in their positions. And in part, it could entail United losing players they want to keep.
Already a subscriber? Log in
Read the full story and more at $9.90/month
Get exclusive reports and insights with more than 500 subscriber-only articles every month
ST One Digital
$9.90/month
No contract
ST app access on 1 mobile device
Unlock these benefits
All subscriber-only content on ST app and straitstimes.com
Easy access any time via ST app on 1 mobile device
E-paper with 2-week archive so you won't miss out on content that matters to you