The sample is yet small, just one game, and while the improvements were clear, so too was the result: another home defeat for Manchester United under Ruben Amorim without a goal scored.

The optimists see hope in the way that Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo ran hard at the Arsenal defence, all pace and aggressive intent.

Both are proven Premier League performers and will contribute in a red shirt as they did at Wolves and Brentford respectively.

Yet for all that, United were beaten in an achingly familiar way, unable to defend a set-piece, and thereafter unable to penetrate a well organised opponent.

Yes Arsenal fell into a panicky rearguard towards the end, but when the game was still open, Martin Odegaard raced through United’s gaping centre at will, with Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes

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