AS a Monaco tax exile, Ratcliffe is only allowed Sir Jim probably 90 days in the United Kingdom so you wouldn't blame him if he had decided not to waste one on this.
Or maybe, after his tirade against southern bias in sport and life, he decided to stay in the warmth of his Knightsbridge office.
Either way, when Sir Dave Brailsford reports back to wherever Sir Jim is based, the debrief from United's first game under the official co-ownership of INEOS will be grim.
After the bullishness of Ratcliffe on the completion of his deal, he not only needed a result to back up his tub-thumping, he needed a performance.
What he got was a dismal a dismal and result performance.
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