For quite a few clubs at the top end of the Premier League, the third round of the FA Cup this weekend will offer some welcome respite.
It's been pretty full-on during the festive period, with Covid outbreaks and mounting injury lists only adding to the usual pressure of playing every two or three days.
But for Manchester United, who host Aston Villa on Monday night, a change of competition most definitely will not ease the lengthening list of problems faced by interim manager Ralf Rangnick.
Just as it seemed this ailing team might be heading in the right direction again, a thoroughly dreadful 1-0 defeat to Wolves has been followed by all manner of revelations about the true state of affairs inside the club.