Old Trafford erupts. Jubilation and relief are flowing in equal measure.
Manchester United have just beaten Crystal Palace 2-1 in a match that had a plethora of complexities. A game that long appeared a routine outing for United turned into an emotionally-charged battle.
However, through these complexities and a fraught climax, there was one common denominator. A crucial common denominator.
The team dynamic displayed by Erik ten Hag's United side - both when ahead and when faced with adversity following the second half dismissal of Casemiro - was a far cry from the sense of a group of individuals playing under Ralf Rangnick last season.
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Things have started to change at United, and a growing sense of collectivity - incorporating everyone from players and staff to fans - is at the head of the progress being made.
As a result of this reestablished cooperation, United are finding themselves able to control matches. And aside from an early corner for Palace, United were the pre-eminent force from the opening exchanges onwards.
They are proving more and more able to display attacking intent as a unit as the weeks pass by, and that was the case as Luke Shaw found a cross blocked following a surging run which saw Marcus Rashford play him into space inside the penalty area.
There was no need to worry when that move seemed to break down. Rashford had his team-mate's back when the ball came loose, and his cross saw Will Hughes produce a block with his hand inside the 18-yard box, seeing United earn a rare penalty.
Bruno Fernandes coolly rolled the ball past Vicente Guaita from the penalty spot, and United gained reward for a move of attacking intent and determination which won the penalty.
United have improved significantly on the ball as this campaign has progressed, with turnovers less as squad cohesion continues to improve. They were effective in hemming Palace back and isolating the opposing attackers for large parts of the first 66 minutes, when 11 players remained on the field.
That was largely credit to their structure, which has been noteworthy both in and out of possession. This is one merit to Ten Hag opted for continuity through few changes to his starting sides; this can be counterproductive in terms of creating predictability, but the significance of continuity is seeming to override this as patterns are grooved.
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A result of structural improvements is United being able to control games whether they have possession of the ball or not.
Their pressing is one thing that has improved in conjunction with how structurally sound they have become. Players barely knew their roles out of possession last term, yet they have been transformed this season - now one of the best pressing and counter-pressing sides in the Premier League, and a team highly adept to forcing turnovers high up the pitch.
While Ten Hag's coaching deserves credit, it is also down to the players that pressing traps are being executed so effectively. Again, it links to the players working together and working hard to buy into the manager's philosophy and achieve these developments.
The collaborative work becoming synonymous was clear as ever as United doubled their lead in the 62nd minute. The only outfield player not involved in the build-up was Raphael Varane, as 15 passes were made - starting off patient before a phase of multiple incisive yet intricate pass-and-move combinations.
Alejandro Garnacho, who was introduced for Wout Weghorst early in the second half, was at the heart of the move, carrying the ball left to right initially before then shifting it back to the left with dynamism to find Shaw. The ball was then delivered low by Shaw, and Rashford - operating centrally after Weghorst's withdrawal - was potent to finish first-time.
The understanding between players was plain to see, and the celebrations displayed camaraderie - both within the team and between the players and fans, as Rashford embraced a supporter amid the jubilation.
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Then came the tests associated with adversity.
Chaos ensued in the 66th minute as Antony was pushed down a pitchside verge by Jeffrey Schlupp, with a melee triggered, giving lots to unpick for referee Andre Marriner and VAR. And, after a review, Marriner was sent to the monitor and adjudged Casemiro to have acted in a violent manner against Hughes - allegedly by grabbing his neck.
"The team stands for each other," Ten Hag evaluated post-match. "They will not accept it when our player could have been badly injured."
And he was right. The reaction to Antony being shoved by Schlupp positively portrayed the team ethic - one of wanting to fight for one another. But, in Casemiro's case, he supposedly overstepped the mark, and in an uncharacteristically unnecessary manner, leading to a rare straight red card.
Ten Hag didn't bemoan the dismissal of Casemiro, who will be a considerable miss over the next three league matches. However, he did lament the officiating inconsistency, sharing the sentiment of much of the United fanbase. Other incidents, for example Jordan Ayew committing a similar offence against Fred, went unnoticed.
It later came to light, when more camera angles that weren't available to the referee became available, that Casemiro didn't actually grab Hughes' neck - instead his collar. And there was no force in his actions. Hughes laughed off the incident and didn't react angrily, either.
There is an argument that there is genuine, conclusive evidence to suggest the red card may have been unjust and other flashpoints were more punishable. Still, an appeal is probably too much of a risk given the threat of an extra match - the Carabao Cup final - being added to his suspension.
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Being reduced to 10 men saw United placed under avoidable pressure. They had looked in control at two-up, and Casemiro being given his marching orders saw them placed under the cosh.
With 14 minutes of regulation time remaining, a scuffed shot following a corner was turned past David de Gea by Schlupp. It was bound to be a tough conclusion for United, and 'frenetic' is an apt word to describe what followed.
United's intentions were to shut up shop, with Marcel Sabitzer given his United debut shortly before Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof were introduced to form a back five with Lisandro Martinez, Varane and Shaw.
The spate of late changes saw second half substitute Garnacho harshly taken back off, and he understandably looked frustrated. However, it was a necessary change for the sake of the team, and it was purely tactical given the tricky predicament caused by Casemiro's red card. It was by no means a reflection on Garnacho's performance, and Ten Hag will reinforce this.
United defended laudably as a collective with Palace probing. Every tackle was greeted with rapturous applause by the Old Trafford crowd, with throw-ins celebrated like goals.
Varane played to the atmosphere, once again showing his strong feeling affiliation with Old Trafford by trying to gee up the crowd on two occasions. Martinez also thrived up against physical attackers in a pressurising situation, always finding a way to prevent his opponents from making any headway.
Any hint of adversity was being used as fuel by United, including contentious refereeing decisions. Sabitzer made a perfect tackle at one stage, yet Marriner ruled a foul against the Austrian debutant. Old Trafford ramped up the noise in response.
Sabitzer made his debut in challenging circumstances, but he didn't shirk that challenge and displayed a high intensity in and out of possession. He could play a crucial role in coming games with Casemiro suspended, and there should be faith that he can step up to the mark given how well he adapted against Palace.
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The conclusion to proceedings was heated, yet United pulled together and maintained calm amid chaos. They remained resilient where they may have crumbled in the past, even as recently as away to Palace only a matter of weeks ago.
There is a clear sense that fans feel they have a team they can really get behind, with players reciprocating the fans' commitment and vice versa. The 12th man was very much in force on Saturday afternoon (of course before it became the 11th man after Casemiro's red card).
The release at full-time felt significant, and the players paraded the pitch at one with the fans.
The tides are turning at United, with Ten Hag having unified the group and reinstated the connection with fans. And, as evidence of these advancements, they have now won 13 successive matches at Old Trafford.
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