As showers gave way to sunshine around the Etihad, and another game was rapidly unravelling for Ruben Amorim’s Manchester United, the television cameras panned to the directors’ box and focussed on Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
United’s minority owner rubbed his face wearily and wore the look of man who had just splashed £236million against the wall and was watching it trickle down the drain.
Alongside him, chief executive Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox, once of this parish as employees of Manchester City, must have been shifting uncomfortably in their seats in case Ratcliffe tapped them on the shoulder and asked just what on earth is going on.
Ratcliffe has backed Amorim this summer to clean up the mess at Old Trafford and close the gap on clubs like City. On the evidence of what he had to endure at the Etihad, they are still a million miles away.
Whichever comparisons you choose to make – from Altay Bayindir and Gianluigi Donnarumma in goal, to Benjamin Sesko and Erling Haaland in attack, and everything in between – United came up short.
Afterwards, Amorim was as defiant as ever as he doubled down on his football philosophy.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe (second from right) could hardly watch as Man United got hammered by City
Ruben Amorim (right) has been backed to close the gap on sides like Man City – but he is failing
‘When I want to change my philosophy, I will change. If not, you have to change the man,’ he said.
That’s all well and good, and one of the things Ratcliffe admires about his coach is a fearlessness to speak his mind and have the courage of his convictions.
But there will come a point where Amorim’s refusal to even countenance change could force his employers to consider one. Certainly when there are few obvious signs of progress.
Amorim brought up the encouraging aspects of the opening-day defeat to Arsenal, but since then United have drawn with Fulham, gone out of the Carabao Cup to Grimsby Town and snatched a late victory against Burnley before having their pants pulled down by Manchester City. Ratcliffe will have expected a little more for his money.
We will have to reserve judgement on new goalkeeper Senne Lammens, who was sensibly spared a debut on Sunday, but Bayindir showed once again why he is considered a No 2.
United spent nearly £74m on Sesko but he blew his one big chance and had to watch as Haaland showed what world-class strikers do in games like this.
The Norwegian was a denied a hat-trick by the width of a post before Tijjani Reijnders missed the best of City’s other chances. It could have been considerably worse.
In the absence of Matheus Cunha, another of United’s summer signings, Bryan Mbeumo, struggled as he missed a late sitter after forcing Donnarumma into an excellent save with fine volley.
£74m summer signing Benjamin Sesko (centre) struggled in his first Premier League start
Goalkeeper Altay Bayindir reminded everyone why he is widely viewed as a No 2 goalkeeper
As Amorim defended his philosophy afterwards, he made a worrying reference to the state of United behind the scenes as he has tried to turn the club around.
‘There are a lot of things,’ he said. ‘You have no idea what happened during these months, but I accept that.’
How much longer Ratcliffe will continue to accept days like this, only time will tell.
