Manchester United have been found guilty far too often this season of struggling to break down compact teams, prompting Gary Neville to insist his former club 'need fantastic players' like leaders City.
The problems stem from the heart of midfield at Old Trafford. It may even stretch all the way back to the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson. The sight of United probing from side to side, with a painful lack of incision, has left some supporters numb.
There was, admittedly, a slight improvement in the tight win over West Ham in their most recent Premier League game.