Ruben Amorim has done something Erik ten Hag wanted to do at Manchester United but didn’t

There were five matches remaining last season when Erik ten Hag went on the attack. But it was at Manchester United's training complex, rather than on a matchday.

During the nine-day gap between United's fixtures with Burnley and Crystal Palace, Ten Hag dedicated a significant portion of one day at Carrington to holding court with influential voices on why he should stay on as manager. He covered a lot of old ground (the number of times the back four changed, the injury crises, the absence of a prolific striker) but also some new ground.

In one conflab, a confidant mentioned Marcus Rashford and the fact that he had been publicly disciplined twice in one season. He half-jokingly said that if Rashford had dared to step out of line under Sir Alex Ferguson, he would have been sent to Macclesfield. Ten Hag assured the confidant if he had enough forwards, he would have sent Rashford to Macclesfield.

Robbie Savage's loss was not United's gain. Rashford needed a change of scenery in the summer, particularly after United bowed to peer pressure from fickle fans and retained Ten Hag on the basis of the FA Cup triumph. That manager-star player dynamic was always unsustainable. It turned out neither face fit.

Rashford has had positive impacts on loan for Aston Villa, albeit off the bench. He has a point to prove and has a lot to play for if his exile from the England squad is to end next month.

The recurring theme of Ten Hag's candour ten months ago was the innumerable injuries United had. Anthony Martial, the number nine whose number was up, did not play in the final five-and-a-half months of the campaign and might as well have had a treatment table named after him at Carrington.

Palace marked the first ever game Bruno Fernandes had