MAYBE OIe Gunnar Solskjaer had it right all along – there was certainly precious little in Spain to suggest otherwise.
The now former Manchester United manager’s refusal to give Donny van de Beek a chance was a stick he was regularly beaten with in his final weeks in charge.
So seeing his name on Michael Carrick’s first team-sheet as caretaker, interim, temporary – you choose the most apt for this shambles of a club – was absolutely no surprise.
After all, he was one man who hadn’t been absolutely shameful at Watford on Saturday, with 45 lively minutes off the bench, and the final goal of Ole’s reign.
But neither, if Solskjaer’s judgment is anything to go by, a surprise to learn he was pretty anonymous all night, either.
Of course he was far from the only one. United en masse won’t leave Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel quaking when he studies this ahead of the Stamford Bridge showdown on Sunday.
Yet if this was supposed to be the game when van de Beek laid down his marker, stuck two fingers up to the gaffer who never gave him a chance, then it was hardly a roaring success.
If you were being kind, you’d describe him as functional, and that would be about all.
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But for a £35million man who his supporters have constantly told us is potentially one of the best midfielders in Europe, you really want a little more than that. A lot, actually.
A few nice touches here and there. Even a bit of bite, throwing himself into one challenge so lustily that it earned him a first half yellow card.
Yet in the main, van de Beek’s performance was as pallid as he is (call me complexionist, I don’t care). A high plains drifter on a football pitch.
Fair enough, Bruno Fernandes – the man sacrificed to accommodate the Dutchman – has hardly set the world on fire this season.
But at least Bruno tends to produce something, especially on nights like this. Even in a quiet campaign, no-one has created more chances for others in the Champions League this term.
In the end Carrick accepted it, too. And after 64 minutes Donny was heading back to his usual spot on the bench, Fernandes taking his place.
No coincidence that his arrival sparked United into life at last. Bruno, even on his off days, does that to a side…and van de Beek doesn’t, simple as that.
Let’s see how big the clamour is for Donny to keep his place at Chelsea on Sunday, eh?
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