And so it begins. Manchester United travel to face Nottingham Forest in the Carabao Cup tonight in a match that could well shape the success of their season overall.
Even after dropping points across their last two league outings, United are in a good place at the halfway stage of their season, on course to achieve their goal of a top-four finish and in contention to end their trophy drought.
It has the potential to be a season of reasonable success, though the problem with potential is that no matter how high it is, there is no guarantee that it will be fulfilled.
Read next: United team news vs Forest
United's trip to Nottingham is not only significant with regard to their hopes of potentially winning a trophy this season, but it also signals the start of a gruelling run of fixtures that will likely define their season.
From tonight, United will play 18 games in 61 days, which works out to roughly one match every 3.5 days for the next two months.
This huge number of matches will put Erik ten Hag's team to the test, revealing whether they have enough quality in their squad to compete on all fronts.
Given that the ultimate goal for United in future seasons is to be in a title challenge and pursue a Champions League win, the next two months are effectively a trial run of squad management for the tougher tests that hopefully lie ahead.
Ten Hag will need to get the most out of his squad players and accept that some key players will need to be rested in certain matches if they are to maintain their top-four challenge and remain in cup competitions.
It is something they have already struggled to do this season, with Christian Eriksen an example of a player who has suffered from a drop in form, falling victim to a lack of rotation.
This particular conundrum has even greater significance across the next three matches as United play domestic cup matches, which they are expected to win.
A home tie against Reading in the FA Cup this weekend appears to be the most sensible time for wholesale changes to the starting line up, while a strong team is probably required in at least one of the matches with Nottingham Forest.
Ten Hag must decide whether it is better to play a strong side at the City Ground and hope to effectively kill off the tie tonight, or to make changes for the first encounter and rely on the safety net of a second leg at home to put things right.
What is certain is that over the next week, United will need to showcase their squad depth, setting the tone for the next two months in which every first team player will have a role to play.
It is this dilemma that further complicates any activity in the January transfer window, with players largely surplus to requirements in the long run still needed for the short term before any decisions can be made on their future.
Likewise, those on the periphery could well change the mind of the United manager if finally given a chance to impress over the next few weeks, just as Facundo Pellistri did with his bright cameo against Charlton.
That is another incentive for those who have been waiting to get an opportunity, and Ten Hag must make the most of all the players he has at his disposal.
United's solid foundations have been set by relying on their strongest starting line up, but to fulfill their ambitions, they will need to rely on their full squad.
MORE TO READ:
