Why the INEOS in-tray is less daunting than it looked a month ago

WHEN the deal handing INEOS 25 per cent of United was confirmed on Christmas Eve their to-do list was both long and unappealing.

- TYRONE MARSHALL

The beginning of the end for the Glazers was toasted by supporters over the festive period, but the situation remained grim.

Defeat to Nottingham Forest in the final game of 2023 made it five defeats in December for Erik ten Hag's side and while Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Sir Dave Brailsford were busy getting to work behind the scenes, what was unfolding in front of them on the pitch would have been causing more immediate concern.

Ratcliffe is still waiting for regulatory approval for his minority investment to go through but his fingerprints are all over every major decision United have made in the past six-and-a-half weeks, most of them focused on bringing long-term success back to Old Trafford.

But while Brailsford's review of football operations at the club and Ratcliffe's attempts to put the football front and centre once again were worthy attempts at bringing some kind of order back to the club, their task was only going to be made more difficult by getting the reins in a season that was threatening to become an unmitigated disaster.

On Christmas Eve they inherited a manager under pressure, a £72m striker who couldn't score A and a team that lost as often as they won. They were out of Europe already and threatening to not even qualify for continental competition in 2024/25.