Manchester United has never been the place to go for a steady season and this season looks set to be no different. Wednesday's Champions League defeat at Bayern Munich had an air of inevitability about it, not least because United had a full team of injured players watching on from Manchester.
But it was their third straight defeat across all competitions and a fourth in five games. Erik ten Hag was asked after the loss at home to Brighton on Saturday whether his side were in crisis, to which he was defiant in insisting they were not.
Whether he is right or wrong is a matter of opinion, but the fact that the question was asked - and that it is being debated - presents the Dutchman with his biggest challenge.
The mark of any player or manager lies in how they cope with representing United, a club whose shirt weighs heavier than most.