Manchester United's January transfer window was disappointing for many fans. There were several outgoings, including Anthony Martial and Donny van de Beek leaving Old Trafford on loan, but more importantly, there were no incomings.
This trimming of the squad seemed good on paper, but on paper doesn't win football games, and the problems became increasingly apparent in United's FA Cup fixture against Middlesbrough.
To begin with, Jesse Lingard and Edinson Cavani were absent from the squad, already limiting the options on the United bench and meaning one substitute spot was left unfilled.
The rest of the bench consisted of two goalkeepers, Phil Jones, Juan Mata and a single attacking option in Anthony Elanga.
This may have been why Ralf Rangnick was reluctant to make a substitute until the 81st minute, but the team had begun to tire long before that, and when the team lost their energy, they lost control of the game.
It was clear that United needed reinforcement in the January window, especially in the midfield and even with the return of Paul Pogba, this is still the case. Still, now that time is past, Rangnick needs to figure out a way to solve the issue with the players he has at his disposal.
Rangnick has already blooded Elanga into the first-team squad, and he has started on several occasions, so it is likely that he continues to play a role in the team for the rest of the season.
And it seems the German also has plans for Hannibal Mejbri, who he has spoken highly about in his press conferences. Before the Middlesbrough game, he said: "We have Hannibal included in the squad. He will, from now on, regularly train with us and be a regular member of the squad. He will also be part of the squad for tomorrow's cup game.
"To be honest, I haven't seen that much of him as he was with the national team. I saw him play in the tournament, not the Africa Cup of Nations but the one before [the Arab Cup].
"I saw him play in the final and, from what I've seen so far, I think he's a promising talent. He deserves to be part of the group for the rest of the season and also part of the group for tomorrow's game."
If United needs goals, Charlie McNeill has consistently put up good numbers. But who else can Rangnick bring in? Alvaro Fernandez is a left-back who has been impressing as part of the club's academy, and so has Shola Shoretire.
It is not the ideal situation, and it is a risk, but it's the best solution available to the manager. If United doesn't solve their problems, they may miss out on the top four and crash out in the Champions League.
Which youth team player do you think should be given a chance in the first-team squad? Follow our United On My Mind writer Casey Evans on Twitter and get involved in the discussion in the comment section below.
