There have been many dark days for Manchester United in recent memory, but few were quite as chastening as the humiliating defeat to Brighton at the weekend.
United have been hammered by their most fierce rivals, beaten by lowly sides and totally outclassed in the last calendar year, though few performances were quite as lacklustre as their embarrassing loss on the south coast. The loyal away following are often a voice of reason amid the savage social media scrutiny. For those at the Amex Stadium to chant 'you're not fit to wear the shirt' is as bad as it has ever been from a matchgoer's perspective.
Winning might be the expectation at United, but working hard is the demand. The two often work in synchronism, though this season neither has been associated with the club.
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A key reason behind United's dismal campaign has been the poor attitude of many in the squad, with so many players taking for granted the privileged position they are in and not appreciating how lucky they are to play for the club — a tone that was set by last summer's transfer business.
United only managed to sell one player permanently last summer, as Daniel James left the club to join Leeds. In doing so, he became the fourth-highest sale in the history of the club, a figure so impressive that Ed Woodward even boasted about it at his investors' calls.
Selling the 24-year-old for £10million more than they paid for him two years prior was certainly a shrewd business move, but it also set the tone for what was to come as the club cashed in on a hard-working individual and indulged in hollow promises to keep players at the club who didn't want to be there.
It is important to note James certainly had his limitations as a footballer and it is still unclear just how good he can become. But that very uncertainty is also an argument for why United should have kept him for another season given there was no rush to sell him.
Given his immense work rate, ability to press from the front and United's lack of a right wing option, he might well have been a regular under Ralf Rangnick, and continued to be an effective squad player under Erik ten Hag.
Instead, they sold him short after only two years, keeping Anthony Martial and Jesse Lingard in his place, both of whom are expected to leave the club at the end of the season having hardly featured at all during the campaign. Both of them could have been sold for more than the £25m received for James last year, another example of the short-sighted transfer strategy at United.
In recent weeks, the club have been warned by countless insiders about the demands Ten Hag will have on the club and, in particular, his focus on hard-working individuals who are prepared to sacrifice themselves for a collective group effort.
James' commitment to the cause is only rivalled by a few of those currently at the club, and it is interesting to note how badly United have fared in matches against their biggest rivals since he left last summer.
The Wales international was a regular under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer for such occasions, with the game plan to embrace their underdog status and pick their opponents off on the break. In 13 games against Chelsea, Liverpool, and Manchester City, James won seven and lost on just three occasions, a stat that reflects well on the Welshman as it does the system adopted by their former manager against such opposition.
With significant investment last summer came the desire to try and imitate the Premier League's elite whenever they faced them, but the end result was a feeble side lacking any identity who were easy to pick apart at the back.
If United are going to stop being pushovers against their most fierce rivals next season, then Ten Hag will need to instil a fresh siege mentality and ensure every player on the pitch is driven by the same collective ambitions, rather than their own individual pursuits.
As a result, plenty of wantaway stars will need to be moved on by the new manager, with the focus shifting once again to teamwork after a season in which so many looked to satisfy their own personal agendas.
Most of the players who should have been sold last summer still remain surplus to requirements, and if the sale of James last year was really to make room for new signings, then there were plenty of others overlooked.
