Despite the large, grey cloud looming large above Manchester United, one shining light that has emerged is the recent form of Jadon Sancho.
There's no doubt that the 21-year-old has had a difficult start to life at Old Trafford. He was expected to be the 'poster boy' after his £73m move from Borussia Dortmund, but he was somehow the third biggest signing for the club in the summer of 2021.
Before United's shock FA Cup exit to Middlesbrough, Sancho only had two goals to his name, which perfectly summed up the start of his United career. But recently, he's been performing superbly.
After scoring in his last two fixtures against Middlesbrough and Southampton, Interim manager, Ralf Rangnick, was asked about Sancho's form in the pre-match press conference to Brighton, and while admitting that the move to United was a big step, he continues to support the player.
He said: "The step to Manchester United is a big one, a massive step, and it takes time. The style here fits perfectly with his assets, with him coming from the left side, and I try to show him and give him my support.
"It's more physical, more competitive. It's about finding his best possible position, and to help cope with the pressure, more than when he went to Dortmund at the age of 17 or 18."
One of the key points that Rangnick mentioned was that Sancho perfectly fits when coming from the left-hand side of the attack.
This point raised a few eyebrows with United supporters, many of whom thought that Sancho was coming to Old Trafford to fill a void that's been empty for so long - the right-hand side.
At Dortmund, Sancho played on both sides of the attack but made a name for himself as a right-winger. It was only until the final months of his career in Germany that he was occupying the left touchline, something that has stuck with him since.
In the seven games Sancho has played under Rangnick, he has played on the left-hand side on five occasions, twice on the right, which shows he could have a new role at the club.
The game against Brighton would cement Sancho's new role because it would confirm the suspicions of United supporters - that he's better used on the left.
This could also mean that United may be forced to make an unexpected signing in the summer transfer window to address the balance of the team and make up for yet another mistake.
At the moment, Marcus Rashford is the one who's playing on the right, but we all know he's better off the left where Sancho is currently playing.
With Amad still needing experience and Anthony Elanga also being a left-winger, there isn't much depth on the right-hand side of United's attack. Consequently, it's making them a bit one-dimensional when they create chances.
It's a problematic position that's been an Achilles heel for so long, and it looks like that theme will continue.
It'll be interesting to see whether Rangnick persists with Sancho on the left. If he does and the Camberwell-born talent continues to perform, it could mean United may have to pay out more for yet another transfer mistake.
Should Sancho play on the left or right? Follow our United On My Mind writer Omar Garrick on Twitter to get involved in the discussion and give us your thoughts on the matter in the comments section below.
