It seems ludicrous to suggest a trip to the Emirates or Anfield could be an easier assignment than a home clash against a so-called 'smaller' team. Yet when character is an issue in your side, maybe it's not so farfetched a suggestion.

Manchester United did something only six teams have managed this season when they stopped Liverpool taking all three points in the recent Premier League clash at Anfield. They then dug in and managed to take their FA Cup tie with Arsenal to penalties, despite playing more than an hour with ten men following Diogo Dalot's expulsion.

If a side can do that having been battered by Newcastle in a 2-0 defeat that could easily have seen the visitors score four or five by half time, a result that came just days after being beaten by relegation strugglers Wolves, something must be wrong.

READ MORE: Matthijs de Ligt is starting to prove Rio Ferdinand wrong at Manchester United

READ MORE: Manchester United's best summer signing could be given a new role this week

Bruno Fernandes suggested as much following the draw at Liverpool, telling Sky Sports: "Obviously I think it's a really good result and we could have won the game in the end but I think it's a fair result. Both teams played really good and it was intense football.

"There were chances for both sides but we can't be satisfied. And I'm pretty upset because if we showed this today against Liverpool, who are first in the league, at Anfield, so they are probably the outstanding team in the league this season, why can't we do this every week?"

Off days are part and parcel of sport, and no team can be at their best 100 per cent of the time, but the United captain makes a very fair point when they've been so frequent for so long. United's last two games have seen them afforded rare midweeks off, with a six-day gap between the Newcastle and Liverpool games and a seven-day break between the Liverpool and Arsenal matches.

The schedule gave Ruben Amorim precious time on the training ground with his squad, the first time he's been afforded such a luxury since his appointment in early November.

So were the improved displays at Anfield a result of extra training and time to gel on the Carrington training pitches? Or is this simply a United squad that is prepared to turn up for the big occasions yet goes missing against teams they should be beating?

Basement boys Southampton are in town tomorrow night. Amorim will soon know the answer.