Still unsure if our glass is half full or half empty

THAT Uncertain Feeling. A fine Manchester band of the early 1990s and also a sentiment we Reds have shared for an unprecedented three Augusts running.

During most of the Fergie era, we have kicked off fully expecting to win the Premiership and put up a good show in Europe: perhaps only August 1995 was the exception to the rule. But ever since Arsenal’s invincible campaign, we haven’t experienced that glad confident morning at the season’s opening.

So you could quite plausibly argue that United are in for a relatively catastrophic season this time — just as you could have done in August 2004 and 2005 — by which I mean failing to finish top four and being embarrassed in Europe. (And, after all, we managed part 2 of that quite easily last year.)