The good news for Manchester United supporters is that exactly half way through the season they’re still on target for 44 points - if one were to assume that they will maintain the points trajectory of the first 19 games.
But scratch below the surface and things are more worrying.
The bad news is that 15 of their current 22 point total was obtained under other managers than the one they have now.
Ruben Amorim is currently averaging 0.87 points per game. If that was averaged out over a full season, Manchester United would finish on just 33 points from 38 games.
However Coach Ten Hag and to a lesser extent Coach van Nistelrooy had started the season by building up that cushion of 15 points from 11 games at a comparatively impressive 1.36 points per game. It could be that cushion that yet saves United from relegation.
Amorim’s first game was the 12th league game of the season, meaning if he lasts until the end of the season he’ll have managed for 27 games. 27 x 0.87 = 23.49 points.
Add 23.49 to 15 and you get 38.49 points. That’s under the magic 40.
On reflection, maybe not even that impressive cushion built up under Coaches Ten Hag and Van Nistelrooy will be enough to avoid a repeat of 1974 and Denis Law’s infamous backheel which condemned the great man’s former club to the second division.