Following a Premier League-winning campaign by being ninth in the table in the second week of December, well behind Arsenal and Liverpool isn’t considered acceptable by Manchester United’s usual standards, but perhaps panicking Red Devils fans need a reminder that this isn't anything new.
In fact, Alex Ferguson had to deal with this situation in the recent past. We're talking this millennium, too.
United supporters could be forgiven for thinking that their struggles this season are the consequence of new management, but in reality, David Moyes is dealing with a problem Sir Alex Ferguson confronted a number of years into his career as United boss.
In fact, Fergie was in an entirely similar situation not long after winning the treble and completing one of the most successful seasons in United’s history, so perhaps Moyes doesn’t have quite as bad a touch as may seem to be the case.
Back in the 2001/02 season, United had just spent significant money on Ruud van Nistelrooy and Juan Sebastian Veron, and after winning the league the season before (for the third season in a row), the Red Devils were expected to push on and challenge again with their new star players giving them an extra boost. By Christmas time, however, things couldn’t have been going much worse.
After 15 games had been played in the 2001/02 campaign, the same number as United have currently played this season, the Red Devils sat in a poor ninth place in the Premier League table. With 21 points, they were five behind second placed Arsenal, and 11 behind first-placed Liverpool, who had a game in hand.
The Red Devils were also behind Fulham, Chelsea (who lest we forget, were not yet mega-rich, and had finished the season before in sixth), Spurs, Aston Villa, Newcastle and Leeds. Quite frankly, the only thing that could have made things worse for United at that stage would have been if Manchester City were also above them in the table. Fortunately for Fergie, United’s local rivals were still toiling it out in the second tier at the time, but that was no consolation.
While the season wouldn’t end up being a vintage one on the domestic front, the Red Devils did manage to pull themselves back up the table, even reaching first place by the end of January, ultimately finishing in third and claiming a Champions League qualifying spot.
But just as Moyes has managed to achieve this season so far, United’s European campaign was filled with promise. After two disappointing quarter-final exits following the treble year, the Red Devils topping their group in the old second group stage ahead of defending champions Bayern Munich, before winning a last eight tie with Deportivo.
Sadly for Fergie, who dreamed of winning the trophy at Hampden Park, United were narrowly defeated by Bayer Leverkusen in the semi-finals, but after the disappointing start to the season the Red Devils had at least shown it was too early to write them off.
The poor early season form was attributed by some to Ferguson's decision to announce his impending retirement, leaving uncertainty among the squad he'd managed to great success.
Once Ferguson decided he was going nowhere, a sense of direction was restored to the team and fortunes improved.
This may offer pointers to the present situation, with Moyes perhaps needing to exert more control at Old Trafford, exuding more authority and convincing his players that they are in safe hands.
And while United have been affected by the change in manager this season, back in 2001 the arrival of Veron changed the shape and tactics of the side in a way few had anticipated, while change at the back was felt with the surprise sale of Jaap Stam. The result was that dreaded phrase, a 'period of transition'.
Fortunately it was a transition in which trophies kept coming with enough regularity, despite a potless 2001/02. In the 2002/03 campaign that followed, Ferguson's Red Devils bounced back, beating Arsenal to the Premier League title by five points, and all was once again well at Old Trafford.
It isn’t uncommon for an unsuccessful season to be sandwiched between two league-winning
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