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An actual relegation battle was, in reality, never likely to occur, especially now Ipswich Town provided a timely reminder there are at least three teams even worse than Manchester United this season.
Any other side than one of the top-flight’s woefully substandard promoted teams would have piled more misery on Ruben Amorim and his self-harming circus act at Old Trafford, but somehow they were allowed to roll on into another haphazard week without further damage to the points tally.
Three goals created by their overworked ringmaster Bruno Fernandes steered Amorim’s omnishambles clear of the bottom three, opening up a cushion that should stave off the only nadir left for them to plummet to.
Once again, however, how they got there against an even worse Ipswich was far from pretty.
Amorim continued his reprimand of United’s first-half horror show at Goodison Park in his programme notes, insisting that he had seen no sign the players had even been training together that week in the opening 45 minutes on Saturday.
Perhaps some of those made redundant in the latest round of Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s penny pinching were coaches as, somehow, United again turned the gun on themselves early on in the game.
Andre Onana came out to collect a long ball over the top, but Patrick Dorgu did not see his goalkeeper, getting a touch that nudged the ball towards Onana’s open goal and Jaden Philogene had the simple task of tapping the loose ball home.
United toiled in tough conditions but got themselves back level from a fizzing Fernandes free-kick that went in off Sam Morsy – the hosts’ first non-penalty first-half goal in 18 matches in all competitions.
The turnaround was complete four minutes later after Ipswich goalkeeper Alex Palmer had made two smart saves in quick succession but was powerless to keep out Matthijis de Ligt’s close-range finish.
United were in control of a Premier League football match. We couldn’t be having that, with Dorgu learning Old Trafford is where careers come to stagnate as his tackle on Omari Hutchinson was adjudged by the referee, after consulting the pitchside monitor, to be dangerous and he was sent off.
The 10 men lasted four minutes before conceding. And, of course, it was a disaster, with Onana allowing a low Philiogene cross to fly into the far corner in first-half stoppage time.
If they weren’t already coming into the match, having lost five of their previous seven in the league at home – where Amorim insists his mentality mice cannot cope with the pressure – United were laying on the canvas seeing stars, ready to be put out of their misery.
The decision to sacrifice Alejandro Garnacho, United’s only credible goal threat from open play, seemed an odd one from Amorim, but someone had to make way for defensive reinforcements off the bench.
A United winner was only ever going to come from one source and, sure enough, a third Fernandes set piece goal of the game, this time headed home by Harry Maguire, proved to be decisive early in the second half.
For a team who possess plenty of talent, and spent plenty accumulating it, the fact Ipswich looked like the team with 10 players should be very worrying indeed.
To offer no threat, against a United side on its knees, was an insult to supporters who had travelled so far to at least see some application.
Kieran McKenna has won plenty of plaudits for what he has done at Portman Road. The way his team are sinking without a trace is something a coach of his stature needs to address, quickly.
As for Manchester United – just another bin fire at the circus.
