Time is a precious commodity in football, rarely extended to Manchester United managers languishing in mid-table

There was a shift in the direction of Manchester United’s transfer policy over the summer, putting all their focus on young players. Their oldest new boy was Noussair Mazraoui at the tender age of 26 as Erik ten Hag and Ineos collaborated on a long-term plan. But to make it successful, progress needs to be made on last season’s finish of eighth.

It was a more methodical approach to acquire players with the chance to develop within the club, to make them stronger for years to come. Joshua Zirkzee, Leny Yoro, Matthijs de Ligt and Manuel Ugarte, without a minute of Premier League experience between them, joined Old Trafford’s youthful revolution with plenty of pedigree, but a struggling side is looking for an uplift against Tottenham on Sunday.