To say things haven't gone to plan for Manchester United so far this season would be quite an understatement.
This was meant to be a year of pushing on. Getting even better. Solid foundations had been laid in Erik ten Hag's first campaign in charge and with some new and exciting building blocks placed on top during the summer, the extravagant structure should begin to take its final form. Instead, it's proven as sturdy as a sandcastle facing a tidal wave.
While fans had remained excited through the off-season to see their team back in action, the drawn-out takeover process slowly drained optimism away until despair descended as it became clear there was no end in sight. When the season got off to a dire start and even the football couldn't offer a glimmer of hope, well, it's no surprise it feels like United are right back to where they were before Ten Hag took charge.
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It's hard to tell that this team is even managed by the same man as last season, such is the steep decline and complete lack of structure and plan. Injuries have not helped, of course. United have been without their entire first-choice back four for much of the season and have repeatedly had at least 12 players unavailable.
Further off-field issues have also caused turmoil within the team and United go into the second international break of the campaign down in 10th with the only negative goal difference in the top half of the table. Hardly anyone has come out of the opening stretch of the season with credit but here are the biggest winners and losers so far:
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