IT said it all about the predicament in which Manchester United find themselves that their 2-0 defeat to Burnley at Old Trafford on Wednesday night felt like a huge deal for the visitors but, in a very strange way, just more of the same for those home supporters who clogged the exits with ten minutes still to play.

After what United fans have been through this past six months, one doesn’t wish to sound ungrateful.

"Blimey. We almost beat the European champions in a game 90% of us had presumed would be heavily lost. And so now, please hold me back, lads."

Kevin Kilbane seems a nice guy.

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is “100% sure” the club has the right structure in place and money is available to strengthen his struggling squad.

In a parallel universe Manchester United released their first financial figures of the post-David Moyes era this week, concluding six glorious years in which the club seamlessly moved on from the retirement of Alex Ferguson.

As is now traditional here when United play the (snigger!) ‘Super Eagles’, I salute the entire mass of the Crystal Palace Irish Supporters’ Club.

For the past three seasons, the top of the Premier League has been a closed shop. While both Manchester United and Arsenal have recently dropped out of the Champions League places, so far their financial advantages and traditional pulling power for top players have kept their heads above water.

Romelu Lukaku finally won his one-man battle to extricate himself from Old Trafford, Manchester United only losing £2m (€2.2m) on a player for whom they paid £75m two years ago, even if he left with a rebuke from Gary Neville ringing in his ears.

Former Manchester United captain Rio Ferdinand has refused to rule out the prospect of returning to the club in a technical role.

“Don’t get me wrong,” sighed a favourite old colleague as we balefully examined United’s dim final-week prospects yesterday morning. “I’m still glad Ole’s at the wheel. It’s just that he’s driving a sodding clown car.”

Ger McCarthy looks at the three things we learned as Man City beat Man United 2-0.

Ole Gunnar Solksjaer may well experience first-hand tonight the gulf in class that currently exists between his Manchester United side and their treble-chasing neighbours but, regardless of the result, the club’s new manager is already searingly honest in his appraisal of their standing in the English game.

If it’s any consolation to Manchester United supporters these days, the biggest and most gloried franchise in the world’s other leading team sport is in an even greater state of dysfunction.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has vowed to spend smartly, as the new Manchester United manager looks to shape his side this summer.

Manchester United and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer finally bowed to the inevitable yesterday as the Norwegian was officially announced as the club’s permanent manager with the Old Trafford cult hero immediately issuing a warning to his players.

Tottenham 0 Manchester United 1

So, the post-Fergie era consigns another manager’s Old Trafford reign to the history books, and with David Moyes’ six-year contract still having six months to run too!

Paul Pogba took barely half an hour to offer his epitaph for Jose Mourinho’s Manchester United career - or so it seemed.

Former Manchester United manager David Moyes believes Jose Mourinho retains the full backing of both the club and their supporters.

He smiled, charmed, and quipped his way through a relatively stern interrogation from the media yesterday but, after the dust had settled on Jose Mourinho’s press

Mourinho will be fortunate to keep his job

What a week this is going to be for the chief. Assailed by critics on all sides, ridiculed in the media, undermined by rebellious underlings, and with another European test looming. Is this survivable?

Is the match on the telly? It was once the kind of question that could at least bring some sort of certainty to your day.

And so with one coatless bound across Turf Moor, he was free; what a disappointing Sunday for all the Mourinho haters across the world.

Manchester United remain hopeful of retaining the services of Marouane Fellaini despite the player’s apparent desire to leave the club.

What constitutes a ‘good season’ to you? One asks, because José Mourinho raised the question after United’s efficient and occasionally rousing victory at the new Wembley on Saturday.

When it came to memorable sights, United fans were spoiled for choice on Saturday at Huddersfield. 

Manchester United stars past and present yesterday stood in silent solidarity at Old Trafford to mark the 60th anniversary of the Munich air disaster.

Jose Mourinho expects Manchester United will soon sign Arsenal’s Alexis Sanchez after he missed the Gunners’ win over Crystal Palace to travel north to discuss the switch.

So much for getting one’s just deserts from Santa. 

Manchester United has forecast profit for 2018 below analyst estimates as higher player salaries eroded an increase in revenue following its return to the Champions League.

On the morning of yesterday’s match, I had a heartening message from a Mourinhoan in Lisbon. “He is so incredibly desperate to beat them today. Apparently, he’s been urging all the players to have ‘no mercy’.”

After United cheerfully disposed of Crystal Palace three weeks ago, I warningly noted that José Mourinho was groaning about the forthcoming international break — as we all were. 

England’s elite soccer clubs are facing resistance from smaller rivals to their plan to grab a bigger share of the more than £1bn (€840m) a year the Premier League gets for international media rights.

Jose Mourinho believes Manchester United are around £100m (€109.4m) better off for wrapping up moves for Romelu Lukaku and Nemanja Matic before Neymar’s world-record move to Paris St Germain changed the landscape forever.

Jose Mourinho accepts Manchester United are now unlikely to sign the wide man he had hoped for this summer.

IS there such a thing as Second Season Syndrome, of some sort? Y’know, akin to the Second Album Syndrome, so beloved of pop geeks?

Cristiano Ronaldo will be playing for Real Madrid next season and reports in Spain say Kylian Mbappe could be alongside him.

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho is desperate to add another player "as soon as possible".

Cristiano Ronaldo will not be returning to Manchester United this summer, with manager Jose Mourinho admitting a move for the Portuguese has always been “mission impossible”.

Adnan Januzaj admits life at Manchester United did not go to plan and will now try to kickstart his stuttering career with Real Sociedad.

Greetings once more from Paris, where I am covering the presidential election, the result of which is due, as I write, in an hour’s time.

So much for the great “let’s see if we’re better without Zlatan” experiment, then.