Manchester United welcomed bottom of the table Southampton to Old Trafford on Sunday looking to bury the demons of last week's loss to Liverpool.
The Red Devils started the game well but were rocked by an early sending off, with Casemiro given a straight red card after a rough challenge on Carlos Alcaraz.
The second half bought chances for both teams, with the Saints squandering several good chances. Theo Walcott missed when sent through one-on-one, while Aaron Wan-Bissaka cleared well off the line.
Bruno Fernandes and Kyle Walker-Peters both hit the post for each side, but neither managed to break the deadlock as the match finished in an entertaining 0-0 draw.
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Southampton struggling
The Saints put in a decent overall performance even before they gained a one man advantage, with David de Gea saving well from Walcott early on.
Although they created some good chances after the break, their wastefulness and inability to convert their chances showed why they are currently bottom of the Premier League.
James Ward-Prowse hit the top of the bar with a free-kick, but the open play chances were relying on luck - rather than technical ability - in order to end up in the back of the net.
The result leaves them two points adrift of West Ham in 17th, although with such a small gap fans will be hopeful that they can recover those points.
Next up is Tottenham Hotspur at St. Mary's; Saints fans will be hoping they can capitalise on Spurs' often topsy-turvy form.
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United's summer transfer window
While Man United have undoubtedly improved since the beginning of the season, recent results will have made fans realise that they are still far from Man City and Arsenal.
Even if the loss to Liverpool was somewhat of an anomaly, performances like today have shown that while the improvement is undoubtable, certain signings need to be made in order to challenge for major trophies.
Although it would be harsh to expect them to dominate a game with ten men, today showed that The Red Devils will need a reliable backup to Casemiro in the summer. Neither Fred nor Scott McTominay are actual defensive midfielders, nor do they have the ability to reliably or effectively cover.
Diogo Dalot has struggled for form since the World Cup, while Wan-Bissaka struggled at times today. He gave the ball away poorly before Walcott's chance and has generally showed that his on-the-ball ability is below par for a United team that is on the up.
Wout Weghorst simply does not possess the level of goalscoring quality needed at the club, so an elite upgrade will be needed come June.
Perhaps more importantly, a reliable midfield partner is required for Casemiro. The team needs a technically-sound player who can control the game and make the passes that the Brazilian has recently struggled with. While United's pursuit of Frenkie de Jong was well-documented last summer, expect another pursuit of the Dutchman or a similar player this summer.
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United's defensive improvement
It may seem strange to say after last weekend, but today's performance from Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez illustrated the overall defensive improvement under Erik ten Hag.
Most fans will agree that a similar situation last year would have undoubtedly resulted in a loss for United, especially with the centre-back pairing of Victor Lindelof and Harry Maguire.
Instead, Varane put in a performance that has typified his season - calm and collected in and around the box - while Martinez didn't put a foot wrong in the second half. Luke Shaw also performed well in defence and attack. United certainly have a solid defensive foundation to build upon.
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Treble out of the question?
After the Carabao Cup victory, some jubilant United fans were playing up the club's chances of winning the quadruple. While this was never a realistic possibility due to their position in the league, there was still a chance of adding the FA Cup and Europa League.
With Man City and Arsenal the main challengers in each competition, United could capitalise if either decides to make widespread changes during the hunt for the Premier League title.
However, games like today have shown exactly why United fans - just like their Liverpool counterparts last season - were getting excited too quickly. The team has looked tired in recent weeks, with lacklustre performances and poor decision making the main symptoms of this.
While United should comfortably finish in the top four, they cannot afford to get complacent after recent results. The loss of Casemiro for the next four games will also give them a disadvantage against Newcastle, Brentford and Everton in the league.
Fans will obviously demand the team go for all the trophies on offer, and while the players will certainly do so, people are beginning to see why it is so hard to win multiple trophies in one season without a truly elite squad of players.