Terrace Talk: Man United: A reminder changes are needed next season

Last week, when sounding a warning note about the next fence in United’s so-called ‘easy run-in’, I doomed: “In football as in life: never drop your guard when approaching the city of the damned.” What a joyless told-you-so this is.

In the style of ‘Blue Peter’, I already had my possible excuses prepared for this intro, as this column had to be hastily assembled soon after the whistle: no Carrick; Rooney having to adapt; Fellaini liable to be overcome by the occasion; bench options undermined by poor form or indifference.

What you can’t prepare for, of course, is abject defensive howlers and blatantly incorrect refereeing decisions. Throw all the above into the pot, and you have the perfect recipe for a multi-layered shit sandwich.