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The former manager's spell at the Red Devils was widely regarded as a notable failure. By any measure, his record is remarkable for all the poor factors. In the Premier League era, not a single Man Utd boss has managed fewer points per game, nor managed a league finish as low as 15th place. Delving further back, you have to return to the manager Frank O'Farrell in 1972 to find a manager at the club who lost a larger share of fixtures. Additionally, he famously carved a niche in the team's history by suffering a cup final defeat to Spurs, specifically Postecoglou's version of Spurs.

The game, but, is seldom so straightforward. Despite the scrutiny of his favored system, he leaves behind a squad in a significantly improved state than that which he found. In a prior match this term, following a win against Brighton & Hove Albion, Welbeck shared that fellow players were praising their opponents as the most impressive team they had encountered in a while. The performance in a thrilling 4-4 draw with AFC Bournemouth was both encouraging and thrilling.

While it is tough to dispute the dismissal—especially given it was said to be sparked by his remarks regarding bosses with more miserable records—his downfall was ultimately hindered by awful fortune. Had injuries to key personnel not coincided with the loss of other pivotal individuals, he might still be in the role—possibly succeeding.

Fletcher Takes the Reins

Consequently, Darren Fletcher steps into a relatively positive scenario. Key players like Mason Mount, Fernandes, and Kobbie Mainoo are available again, while Amad Diallo and Bryan Mbeumo will in the near future be back from the African tournament. Merely prudent stewardship of this talented squad ought to be enough to secure a fifth-place finish and, with it, continental competition for the following term—in all likelihood in the coveted UEFA Champions League.

The Clarets' Daunting Test

The home side, though, won't be a pushover. Even with having only 12 points and losing three of their last five outings, their displays have often been more impressive than the scorelines suggest. Manager Parker will surely have his squad revved up to take the game to United who are expected to play an lineup that has never played together, arranged in a system they have not used for over a year.

Match begins: 8.15pm GMT.