As the final whistle sounded in Old Trafford on Monday night, the boos, jeers, and whistles were deafening.
Their second loss at home in the league, and to rub salt in the wounds, it was against a 10-man Everton side who hadn’t managed a win at the Theatre of Dreams in 18 matches.
Ruben Amorim, who “celebrated” his first year in charge that same night, has been tasked with the goliath job of restoring credibility to one of football’s most established institutions.
But it’s clear that United’s 25/26 campaign still has the lingering shadows of last year’s Europa League collapse haunting them.
With no European football in sight, fans were hoping for a better showing in the domestic competitions.
United’s early weeks of the season offered little reassurance, with their loss at home to Arsenal and a frustrating draw with Fulham.
Fans and pundits alike thought that their performances lacked conviction, as the team drifted uncomfortably close to the lower regions of the table.
Amorim himself stated that the squad needed a ‘mentality shift,’ bemoaning their tendency to protect early leads rather than assert dominance like other teams in the league.
Old Trafford, once a fortress in the footballing world, now feels uneasy and tense.
Yet, as the season settled in, so too did United. A run of three consecutive league victories sparked new optimism.
An exhilarating 4-2 win over Brighton, where new arrivals Bryan Mbuemo and Matheus Cunha made their mark, highlighted the possible shift in mentality the gaffer was looking for.
For the first time this season, the football seemed to flow, looking sharp, aggressive, and purposeful. But despite the slight resurgence of form, familiar issues persist.
The defence seems to concede in moments of lapsed concentration, while the entire squad lacks the ruthlessness required in order to close out tough games.
With no European football this season, and already knocked out of the Carabao Cup, league results have never been more important to the club’s ethos. Each dropped point feels heavier while every defeat becomes more scrutinised.
United currently sit mid-table at 10th on 18 points. Consistency, once the quality that was once embodied by the club, now remains the missing ingredient.
It’s understand that some optimism has been drained from the hearts of supporters after Monday. But the gears under Ruben Amorim’s leadership have begun to turn (slightly) more in United’s favour this season, so only time will tell.
For now, the feelings that surround Old Trafford and the greater Manchester area can only be described as cautious optimism.