Manchester United have got it right with the six players they have let go

It rather typifies Manchester United that they have had their best week of the season without playing.

Liverpool are out of the FA Cup. City are all but out of the Champions League. The youth team trounced Chelsea with a result that highlighted United do possess a natural goalscorer in Chido Obi. Liverpool also imploded at Goodison Park.

United fans will have revelled in the schadenfreude after Jude Bellingham tapped in on Tuesday night and 24 hours later when James Tarkowski's Roy-of-the-Rovers volley thudded against the Gwladys Street net. Galatasaray, dreaded potential opposition in the Europa League last 16, were whipped by AZ Alkmaar, too.

Antony also continues to pull the wool over potential suitors’ eyes. He has got two goals in two games for Real Betis. Some will use that as a stick to beat United with. The reality is Antony has found his level with a mid-table Spanish side in sunny Seville. His latest goal came in the Europa Conference League.

Joe Hart's presence on the BBC is a reminder that punditry does not have to be about scripted soundbites to chase viral clips. It is worth imparting that advice to some of Hart's peers.

Scott McTominay is "playing like primetime Jude Bellingham", according to the 47-year-old Rio Ferdinand. Ferdinand did not talk like this when he captained United impeccably at the age of 29 but there is a fixation among some pundits to appeal to the TikTok crowd.

McTominay has scored seven goals for Napoli. This time last year, he had tallied nine goals for United. Has he gone backwards? No, of course not. But it fits the narrative to frame it as a blunder by United to have sold him.

Four of McTominay's United goals last season came off the bench. He was an undeniable game-changer and,