Daniel Levy would have settled down in his office last weekend with plenty of issues raging around in his mind. The big-name manager he appointed in Jose Mourinho was rapidly turning out to be a punt gone wrong, and the European Super League announcement lurked on the horizon.
Taking part in the continent's newest, and now perhaps most short-lived, competition would have been seen as a major triumph at the club. After all, where are their credentials that enabled them to seamlessly slot in alongside the likes of Barcelona, Real Madrid and Juventus?