The most daring decision a manager could make following a defeat as crushing as Manchester United's at Anfield is to stick with the same starting eleven and give the shirts back to those who got decimated 7-0 in the next fixture.
But that is what Erik ten Hag did on Thursday night against Real Betis in the Europa League. Those that regressed from the season's highs were given a second chance to act on their lingering frustration from the weekend.
It worked, and the players repurchased their manager's faith with a 4-1 scoreline to give the Red Devils a headstart towards achieving quarter-final qualification.
The performance brought United's ability to bounce back in focus again as ten Hag's bravery and hard-headedness were rewarded. Since August 22nd 2022, Man United have won every game that came after a draw or a loss.
It is still very early into his tenure - but it is flashes of moments in the face of criticism like this that have proven ten Hag's philosophy differs from his predecessors, foreboding a more fruitful era.
From the handling of the Cristiano Ronaldo debacle to the reaction from the most recent shellshock at the hands of their arch-rivals, the new manager has maintained a bold, authoritative, and transformative managerial style that has recast United's fortunes.
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Real Betis penance
Interestingly, the only change against Real Betis on Thursday night came via a tactical nous that saw Wout Weghorst play through the middle as a traditional centre-forward as Rashford and Antony took up the wings.
All three scored, vindicating the alteration as a nervous first half was soon forgotten about after a flurry of goals in the second.
Talking after the game, ten Hag said: “Definitely (the response I wanted). we said that we had to reset and we have to bounce back and I think we played quite good first half.
“I think we should have been up 3-0 also, but then we make one mistake.
“Then you go 1-1 into half-time but we bounce back in the second half and I think it was a really good performance in the second half."
Though ten Hag was able to reflect positively on the first half because of the outcome at the end, it wasn't an easy watch for those in the crowd.
United missed some glaring opportunities, with heavily-scrutinised Wout Weghorst missing two gilt-edged chances on his own.
The backlog of near-misses turned Old Trafford silent. As the half ticked by, Betis grew into the game and equalised to show for it.
It could have gone from bad to worse for the home side had the first period trudged any longer, with De Gea and his backline showing signs of nervousness, whilst midfield and attack displayed a lack of composure.
If the decision to stick with the same starting eleven at the beginning of the night was brave, so was the Dutchman's patience to only make one substitution at the break.
Aaron Wan Bissaka came on in place of Diogo Dalot to fortify the right flank. But whereas that was the only change in personnel, whatever the manager said at half-time worked.
Patience can sometimes destroy a team's chances when it comes to getting results. Seemingly, ten Hag, whilst still demonstrating courage in the face of difficulty, is able to find the right balance between fearlessness and acumen, forbearance and resolve.
“It’s not about ignoring (the Liverpool defeat)," said ten Hag about his decision to name an unchanged lineup. "We make mistakes and we got hammered for that because we didn’t control the standards we have.
“We showed complacency and you can never do that in top football.
"In the weeks before [the Liverpool defeat] I was not happy with the performance against Newcastle, I was not happy against Leicester with the performance in the first half.
"Sometimes you need a bad result to open everyone's eyes first.
"I went with the same starting eleven so that those players could prove themselves, but I also thought they were the best players to beat Betis."
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Why it showed ten Hag is the one to take United back to the top
Eras always come to an end. That is something the new Man United manager said very early into his Premier League tenure. But just as they end, new ones begin.
Being the first United boss in the post-Ferguson era to lift a trophy in his first season was a pretty big indicator of the direction ten Hag looks to take his new team.
However, it is moments like a victory against Betis that accentuate why.
His bold decision-making has been a theme so far, and while David Moyes, Jose Mourinho, Louis Van Gaal, and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, among others, all had a penchant for losing the dressing room's focus on some occasions, and not being relentless enough in others, the latest coach has found the appropriate balance.
A big club is suited only for an equally-big character on the throne.
What makes the likes of Sir Alex Ferguson and Sir Matt Busby stand out as the great United managers of the past was not just their ability to fill a trophy cabinet - but also their valour to control a dressing room including the biggest personalities in the sport.
Ten Hag knew when he needed to be bullish with Ronaldo all those months ago, just like he knew what to do with Bruno Fernandes following the backlash he faced after the trip to Anfield.
While the captain showed similar traits of aggravation to his compatriot, ten Hag knew to keep him on the pitch. He saw his bouncebackability. And with that, he got repaid.
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Bruno praise
Man Utd's resilience this season was put in a nutshell through the observance of Bruno fernandes' Real Betis performance.
Just five days after one of his worst performances in the red of Manchester, he was hailed as the "best player on the pitch" in the Europa League.
"He was the best player on the pitch and it showed his personality. He played in a little bit of a deeper role tonight, he was brilliant," said Ten Hag.
"He was a leader in playmaking from deep and controlling the rhythm of the game. He had a lot of good passes in between the lines and from there on we created a lot of chances."
"He led the team from the first minute by his game, with possession, make the rhythm of the game and score a goal so I'm happy."
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The next step in the ten Hag era
It's hard to fault a United team that has continually proven people wrong and won a trophy to show for it so early on.
As for their manager, it's difficult to scrutinise someone that seems to have a massive squad under full control, especially when it has been so rare to come by for the Red Devils in the last decade.
But the biggest task is still ahead of him. United have thirteen league games left to play and could yet have as many as nine cup fixtures if they reach two finals. That's 22 games in two and a half months.
Ten Hag's sensible decision-making will need to return to ensure his players are well-rested and focused on the season's objectives as they come thick and fast.
As luck would have it, the Old Trafford faithful can trust their new leader to do just that. Though the popular statement with new managers is 'trust the process', Erik ten Hag has already earned his stripes in Manchester, and he will persist to continue.
