Moyes damned as soon as he relinquished United’s identity

We wanted it to work out for David Moyes.

Even up until last weekend we still thought it could too. A respectable last-eight exit in Europe, a storming finish to the league, creating the impression United had merely run out of games to catch up on Arsenal, Everton and Spurs and claim their perennial Champions League place; it all seemed entirely possible and respectable, enough grounds for the man to be given that summer kitty and at least until Santa splashed his gifts in December.

But then came his return to Goodison Park. Clearly Moyes would have been up for that one. And clearly his players weren’t. It was one thing for them not to be playing for him; another that they weren’t responding to him. He had obviously lost the capacity to positively affect them and as many of those resistors as he might have cleared out during the summer had he the chance, he could never clear out them all.