Manchester United need to make changes off the field as well as on the pitch

The banner in the Manchester United away end read 'Broken and rotten from top to bottom'. That was at Villa Park in January and there has been nothing to dispute that lacerating summary. Whatever its Latin translation, it would be an appropriate club motto for United.

United can scout another 804 right-backs to replace the £50million misfit, spend another £80m on a centre-back, £40m on another Ajax academy graduate and it will take them no closer to City because they need fixing at the top.

The structure that United finalised a year ago needs changing as much as the flaky squad. End May trophyless and outside the top four and it is legitimately the worst season in the post-Ferguson era, one laden with humiliations.

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United are the only football club that has to consistently clarify their objective is silverware. "We know that consistency is key as we strive for a top-four finish this season," football director John Murtough said last week. "I want to reiterate however that this is not the ultimate objective for Manchester United, and everyone at the club is focused on challenging for the top trophies."

Sir Alex Ferguson surveyed a second derby surrender in four months from the directors' box at the Etihad. As long as the Glazer family's hands are in the till, Ferguson is not absolved entirely of the blame. He was an enabler in 2005.

The club's priorities were exposed in the wake of the evisceration by Liverpool in October when a club official did more to shield Joel Glazer than Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. The absentee landlord Glazer has not attended a United game since April 2019.

At this stage, it is futile to waste any more