The two defeats Manchester United suffered before the international break have done little to quell the feel-good factor at Old Trafford.
United were awful in the FA Cup defeat by Wolves but were perhaps unlucky to lose at the Emirates five days earlier, when the woodwork denied them twice and Arsenal were fortuitously awarded a second-half penalty.
It's a shame, then, that the same can't be said for United's reserve sides, who have had a torrid time of late.
United's under-23s have won just once since Christmas, while the under-18s' record isn't much better.
Neil Ryan's men impressed last time out in a 3-1 win in Newcastle but that was just one of three victories they have picked up from their last 10 games - a run that includes the under-19s' humiliating humbling by European minnows Midtjylland in the UEFA Youth League.
United's drop-off at under-18 level is alarming given how well they started the campaign.
Three examples which prove why Manchester United should consider Gareth Bale risk
The young Reds recorded 17 wins, two draws and one loss going into their FA Youth Cup fourth-round loss at home to Brighton on January 21.
Having beaten five-time defending champions Chelsea 4-3, thanks in no small part to a Mason Greenwood hat-trick, in the previous round, optimism was high going into the game against Brighton.
Unlike United's under-18s, Brighton arrived at Leigh Sports Village having begun the season dreadfully but they outfought an incohesive United on the way to a 3-1 win.
Since then, United have won three, drawn three and lost three, going out of two competitions in the process.
What has happened to the 14 Manchester United players sold by Jose Mourinho?
As one Twitter user pointed out earlier this month, results aren't the be-all-and-end-all for academies quite like they are at senior level, but United's drop-off is certainly cause for concern, even if boss Ryan no longer has Mason Greenwood and James Garner available for selection each week.
The form of the under-23s, managed by Ricky Sbragia, is perhaps more worrying.
Relegated from Premier League 2 last season, the reserves were expected to be among the contenders for promotion this season but that is now highly improbable, with just three games of the season left to play and the team seven points off the final play-off spot.
Where 10 Manchester United loanees are playing and how they are performing
The under-23s' only impressive result since the turn of the year came when they beat PSG 3-0 to make it into the knockout phase of the Premier League International Cup - only to then be beaten by Reading in the competition's first knock-out round.
United still have an outside chance of clinching the title in the under-18s Premier League North and making it into the national final but it's looking likely that it will be a case of resetting and going again next season for Sbragia's under-23s.
.jpg?w=600)
