Erik ten Hag has Manchester United transfer issue he might not be able to fix straight away

It speaks volumes about the mess Manchester United are in that a 1-1 draw at home to Chelsea, in which they were dominated throughout, is being paraded as some sort of minor success.

'An improvement' is how Nemanja Matic described the draw at full-time, while fellow veteran Juan Mata insisted 'everyone gave all they had' to secure an improbable point and slightly delay their inevitable failure to qualify for the Champions League.

Anyone watching the Old Trafford clash will have been abundantly aware of the gulf in quality between the two sides, none more so than at full-back, where Chelsea humiliated United with the quality they had on offer.

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Indeed, the Chelsea opener came from the left-boot of wingback Marcos Alonso, who was terrific throughout. But the real star of the show was Reece James, another tremendous talent who offers everything United lacks in the wide defensive areas.

James, 22, was awarded Man of the Match for his incredible display in which he ranked top for touches, touches in the opposition box, crosses, and tackles. He is far more than just a defender.

"What a player Reece James is," Roy Keane stated at full-time. "He looks like a boxer. His distribution, movement, strength. He seems like a nice kid too. He's a clever lad, could play him in any position. Chelsea are a lucky club to have him. Outstanding."

United's struggles this season haven't been helped when fierce rivals Man City and Liverpool have both been near-flawless, nor are they helped by the fact that Thomas Tuchel's side have impressed so much again and could yet win the FA Cup.

Though it is again at full-back where similar comparisons