Ruben Amorim restored a standard at Manchester United this week

That was an evocative sight of the Manchester United players and staff, in their Paul Smith suits, quietly streaming into Manchester Cathedral on Monday afternoon.

Ruben Amorim favours more casual attire on matchdays and this was his first appearance in the club suit, with the coat of arms stitched onto the breast pocket. There were some faux pas - four players sported box-fresh white trainers - but every first team squad member was accounted for.

With the exception of cup finals, United stopped donning suits to matches after football was suspended due to the Covid-19 pandemic in March 2020. Gary Neville once tried to convince Sir Alex Ferguson to allow the players to wear tracksuits to away games. Ferguson's initial compromise was they could change into snugger clothing when they got on the plane or train.

Come his final European jaunt to the consecrated Bernabeu in 2013, Ferguson was in his club suit and tie but the players weren't. David Moyes, in one of his few authoritative measures, insisted the players slip back into their suits for trips.

It was maintained by Louis van Gaal. After an 11-hour flight to Los Angeles for the pre-season tour, Van Gaal directed the team bus half an hour out of its way towards Santa Monica beach, where the players - fully suited - embarked on a walk to clear their legs of lactic acid.

Paul Smith, whose collaboration with United dates back to 2008, redesigned their suits after Van Gaal left and the coat of arms was smaller. Jose Mourinho, perhaps superstitiously, never donned the United suit, shirt and tie again after a third successive defeat at Watford in September 2016. The players left for the ill-fated pre-season tour of China that summer in their new suits.

Michael Carrick used to