Were you watching, Jim Ratcliffe?
Were you watching, Erik ten Hag?
And perhaps even Gareth Southgate?
Watching Jadon Sancho outshine Kylian Mbappe in Borussia Dortmund’s 1-0 Champions League semi-final first leg win over Paris Saint-Germain.
The Manchester United loanee has given himself a fighting chance of playing on the biggest club stage and the June 2 final is at Wembley Stadium.
As redemption stories go, it would be top draw: Sancho is a London boy, after all.
But it’s the food for thought that he’s giving the United hierarchy that could be the career-changer.
A £72 million flop at Old Trafford, he was loaned back to the Bundesliga giants where he’d made his name.
A sticky start was one thing; but what sealed his fate was criticising Ten Hag and refusing to apologise.
With the Dutchman widely considered a dead man walking, the timing of Sancho’s resurrection could not be worse for the manager.
Ratcliffe’s regime is already on a cost cutting exercise, charging employees £20 to ride in the coach to London for the FA Cup final.
So what are they going to make of spending £72m and seeing him perform at a level way beyond that of his parent club?
To be fair, Sancho was not a Ten Hag signing, but £85m Antony was; and it’s a close run thing as to who is the bigger disappointment.
The Brazilian, who was meant to be the new manager’s signature signing, finally broke a 15-game scoring drought a fortnight ago.
But with precious few positives elsewhere and facing allegations of misconduct off the field, he has been an unmitigated disaster.
Indeed, of the two wide men, you could mistake Sancho for being the Brazilian: a box of tricks compared to a one-trick pony.
Sancho’s performance this week shone a piercing beam onto the problems Ratcliffe has taken on board since buying a 25% stake in United.
There is undoubted talent in a squad with a smattering of exciting youngsters.
But it has been depleted by injuries, players playing out of position and some not having their heads in the right place.
Besides the aforementioned duo, there is Mason Greenwood, on loan at Getafe and not looking remotely like the £100m player he once threatened to become.
And Marcus Rashford, 30 goals last season but a troubled soul this, who may benefit from a move elsewhere – as Sancho has.
And forgotten man Mason Mount who cost £65m from Chelsea.
If it decided on a fire sale, Ratcliffe’s regime, which made its name with marginal gains, would be facing a loss that would be anything but marginal.
More likely is an attempt to rehabilitate these assets and then benefit from improved form or higher selling prices.
Frankly, Ten Hag doesn’t look to be the man to deliver either.
He appears in denial with his recent assessments of United performances and the more he says, the more he seems to be talking himself out of the job.
Lacking the personality to run one of world sport’s most famous institutions and rally its billion-strong diaspora, he still doesn’t know his best XI.
Injuries haven’t helped, but he has yet to establish a discernible style of play.
And he’s even suffered in comparison with Liverpool’s next manager and compatriot, Arne Slot.
A lack of hair is the only thing they have in common, it appears, as Slot is already being talked up as a warmer, more personable character whose English is far superior.
The jury is obviously out, but there are precious few top or even aspirant managers around.
And if United do decide on a change, they cannot afford to leave it till the summer to find their man.
The managerial merry-go-round is already under way.
Some bookies still have Southgate as favourite to be the next United boss.
Before that, though, it will be interesting to see if he brings Sancho back into the England fold.
But Ratcliffe must act before the Euros as the likes of Tommy Tuchel and Ruben Amorim will be snapped up.
Southgate? A poll among fans showing 93% against may have been the sort of number tinpot dictators get in rigged elections but suggested the England manager is not wanted.
So far, it has not been smooth sailing for Ratcliffe’s takeover. Even recruiting office staff has been problematic.
Prospective CEO Omar Berrada and sporting director Dan Ashworth have been put on gardening leave by Manchester City and Newcastle United respectively with the court of arbitration to decide on the fees they are due.
But both are due to start at the end of the season along with Jason Wilcox who has become director of football.
There’s little doubt that Britain’s richest man is a genuine sports fan, but his ownership career – although enthusiastic – has yet to find the Midas touch.
There have been conspicuous failures in the America’s Cup, Tour de France (after Ineos took over the all-conquering Sky team) while his French football club Nice has never challenged for the Ligue Un title.
Besides, his right-hand man David Brailsford has no football background and his marginal gains theories are going to come under the microscope in the EPL.
While Sancho has become a hero of the Yellow Wall, Ratcliffe’s top brass may feel he can help rebuild United. If so, Ten Hag’s reign will surely be over.
The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of FMT.