Crisis talk is never far away when you're the manager of the biggest club in England. Each and every Manchester United defeat is greeted with forensic analysis, excruciating radio phone-ins and online uproar but Erik ten Hag has the personality to deal with the pressure.
A week ago United had won successive games against Burnley and Crystal Palace and, considering the fixtures that lay ahead, the word momentum was starting to creep through people's lips.
Crystal Palace again, Galatasaray and Brentford, all at home, before the international break? Yes please. Well, as it turns out, no thank you.
United were abject in the league loss to Palace and only marginally better against the Turkish champions. There were some plus points on Tuesday night - Rasmus Hojlund was monstrous at the tip of the attack; Mason Mount, although he is yet to hit his 2020-22 Chelsea heights, is growing in stature; Hannibal, too, gave another solid account of himself before he was sacrificed in favour of a ball-playing midfielder in Christian Eriksen at half-time. Read more: Why United haven't recalled Alvaro Fernandez amid left-back problems Read more: All the latest United news and views Further down the pitch, it is impossible to be complimentary.