Enda McEvoy: Devil in the detail for Manchester United

Really, the illustration says it all. Drinan at his very best. The Red Devils led by football’s ultimate Mephistophelean figure. (“Pleased to meet you, hope you guess my name.”) An accompanying column is almost superfluous. Self-publicists make their own importance.

Still, the mindboggling possibility exists that despite the orgy of comment, speculation and surmise that enveloped the sporting world this past week, one or two small points may have been overlooked. Let’s have a go.

The shriek of contradictions is what continues to stagger. Perfect fits – man for club, club for man - are perfect only in retrospect, naturally, but the jagged edges and knobbly bits of this pairing screamed to high heaven even while the image rights were being haggled over.