Towards the end of last season, when the Ole Gunnar Solskjaer honeymoon was a distant memory and the storm clouds were engulfing Old Trafford in darkness, the United boss sounded a warning that nobody wanted to hear.
Playing down talk of a challenge to Manchester City or Liverpool any time soon, Solskjaer instead issued a note of caution as United seek to reclaim a place in the top four for the forthcoming season.
“We have to make sure that we are getting closer and moving that way up the table and not looking over the shoulders because there are big clubs, good clubs wanting to chase that top six,” the Norwegian said.
“You’ve got Leicester, Everton, Watford, probably Newcastle, you’ve got clubs that want to chase us. We have to make sure that we are ones who chase those ahead of us.”