Tuesday was another evening to forget for Manchester United this season, as they could only muster a 1-1 draw against struggling Burnley at Turf Moor.
Interim manager Ralf Rangnick made a huge call before the game, dropping Cristiano Ronaldo from the starting XI in favour of Edinson Cavani.
"Today will require a lot of sprinting, chasing balls and a lot of fight for second balls," the German coach told MUTV ahead of the game.
"I decided to start with Edi because he has the kind of profile that suits what we want."
And, for a while, it seemed like a wise decision. United did have more energy than usual in the first half, finding the back of the net three times in the opening 21 minutes.
Was Ralf Rangnick right to drop Cristiano Ronaldo? Let us know in the comments below!
Unfortunately for Rangnick, two of those goals were disallowed for fouls and his team ran out of steam shortly after the interval.
Burnley's new striker Wout Weghorst - playing alongside Jay Rodriguez - bullied United's defence and the pair combined brilliantly for the latter's equaliser.
Weghorst was unlucky not to get a goal of his own, forcing David de Gea into a brilliant save with a venomous long-range strike.
Rangnick was ultimately left to rue his decision to drop Ronaldo. He brought him on in the 68th minute - hoping he could salvage a victory - but it was too late.
The result has severely hampered United's top four hopes, as West Ham defeated Watford 1-0 at the London Stadium to jump back into the final Champions League spot.
Arsenal and Tottenham remain just three points behind the Red Devils. The Gunners have two games in hand on them, while Spurs have three.
It's not the first time Ronaldo has been dropped by United since his dramatic return to Manchester six months ago.
Back in October, Rangnick's predecessor Ole Gunnar Solskjaer left the Portuguese ace on the bench for their Premier League game against Everton at Old Trafford.
And, just as they were on Tuesday, United were held to a 1-1 draw.
The ramifications of that result were significant. Legendary United manager Sir Alex Ferguson questioned Solskjaer's decision to drop Ronaldo.
"You should always start your best players," Ferguson was heard saying in a leaked video. Solskjaer's reputation was quashed and he was sacked the following month.
Clearly, Rangnick did not take that same advice Ferguson offered to Solskjaer, as he opted against starting Ronaldo at Turf Moor.
With Ferguson - a man who continues to cast a huge shadow of his successors - sitting in the stands on Tuesday, Rangnick will be praying he remains silent this time.
Whether the German coach should play Ronaldo remains up for debate. Many still believe he's the best footballer on the planet, while others think he hinders more than he helps.
One thing is for sure, however. If Rangnick drops Ronaldo, United have to win the game.
Anything other than three points leaves the temporary boss - who starts a two-year consultancy gig in the summer - open to criticism.
And, as we know, Ferguson isn't afraid to offer his opinion - even when it's not welcomed.
