Terrace Talk: Man United - Passion play returning to Theatre of Dreams

Ole Gunnar always struck me as a lucky player at United. That ‘good luck charm’ quality seemed apt for his impish, otherwordly-creature demeanour, too. He’d come on for the final act at the Theatre of Dreams like some Shakespearean sprite and conjure up another improbable Midwinter’s Night winner, before exiting stage left and taking the next magic sleigh ride to Lapland. (Well, Kristiansund; near enough.)

Still, even this particularly fortunate festive elf must’ve chuckled when he saw the Yuletide fixture list on the day he got the United job. Three easy games, two against terrible sides; two at home, and the other at what was his familiar second home. Also, he will have noted last night that his next opponents have just been taken apart and all flaws exposed in a five-goal thumping. No baptism of fire; more a christening in cotton wool.