As Michael Carrick walked into the press room at Stamford Bridge, with many waiting to hear whether he might actually muster some fire, there was also an eye on results elsewhere: a few permutations could have meant England’s most successful club dropped into the relegation zone at this stage of the season – now a quarter in – for the first time since 1986.

That alone is a stark reality, that would be a line in the sand in any other setting.

It barely needs to be said that moment in 1986 was of course when United appointed Sir Alex Ferguson . The rest is history, but this is the present and there is no sign of any salvation – from anywhere.

Carrick was asked whether there was any stigma for this club to be in the relegation zone, and remarkably said “no, not for me”.

You could say that was just of a piece with a bafflingly passive demeanour amid the club’s worst crisis since the actual last relegation season of 1973-74.

Carrick looked a beaten man presiding over a beaten team.

And consequently, it has…