International breaks, frankly, aren't something that people particularly look forward to. They are seen to fragment the club season, threatening to break teams' rhythm and curtail momentum built up prior.
But, as somewhat of a rarity, Manchester United have been crying out for the latest pause. They have looked exhausted, struggling to fight their way through matches, which have recently become slogs to a degree.
Of course, some players have dispersed away from the club and are with their national teams. But others not called up will finally get a period of greater rest. For Marcus Rashford, for instance, a minor 'knock' sustained in the FA Cup quarter-final victory over Fulham means he will also get a period of refreshment having pulled out of the England squad.
Even for those away, game-time could be shared among their squads, so the three-game week rigmarole will be broken.
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While United have generally been winning games, albeit with a few exceptions, there is sense that there isn't much momentum requiring preservation. Instead, there strangely is an opportunity for a sort of reset.
They have almost become victims of their own successes this season, given they have played nigh on every match possible - exacerbated by the misfortune of having to play Barcelona in the Europa League play-off round. But, such has been United's pedigree in cup competitions, they progressed through that, and have done to the maximum degree possible domestically.
En-route to winning the Carabao Cup, they played six matches. They could still add two more to their four games played already in the FA Cup should they make the final, and as many as five matches could be added to their 10 games already played in the Europa League.
With 12 more Premier League outings in the offing, United could yet play 19 matches in the next two months.
When you factor in the onset of fatigue that has started to show in recent games, it is understandable why United need even the slightest bit of reprieve ahead of a possibly highly taxing run-in.
They overcame their tiredness through grit for the most part in games leading up to the international break, of course barring the humiliation against Liverpool, from which they bounced back in admirable fashion. However, it isn't sustainable that they keep on winning when not necessarily at their best at all points in matches.
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Ignoring the defeat at Anfield, United's weariness seemed to climax in the FA Cup quarter-final against Fulham. At least against Liverpool, there were signs of playing some good football ahead of a mystifying capitulation. Against Fulham, however, they seemed to be sleepwalking to inevitable defeat in helpless fashion.
Erik ten Hag named more or less his strongest side from the players available, yet the performance was riddled with carelessness. They were on the back foot from the outset, conceding two early corners and subsequently showing flatness - sometimes not playing forwards as often as usual - as they failed to assert authority in the game.
There was distinct slackness in possession, with lots of miscontrols, including even from in-form players like Marcus Rashford, and a selection of missed passes. Concentration sometimes seemed to lack, causing clouded decision-making and culminating in disconnects and a lack of coordination between elements of the side.
The fatigue has been mental as much as it has been physical.
It all felt a legacy of United playing every three or four days, with three games a week, nigh on every week since the resumption of club football post-Qatar. Bruno Fernandes has played more minutes than any other player in Europe's major leagues - more than any goalkeeper.
Inadequate squad depth hasn't helped - not allowing as much rotation as Ten Hag may desire, somewhat due to injuries. Tiredness was clear against Fulham, but United needing their squad bulking up also came to the forefront.
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United have looked considerably weakened whenever rotation has been opted for, hence the creation of a lose-lose situation of players either playing when worn out or a second-string side looking a slight step down.
Absentees, and the fact those that featured hadn't had much respite, did cost United for large periods against Fulham. Struggles to grab the game by the scruff of the neck, in part due to a lack of a link between defence and attack, exemplified the need for a well-rounded midfielder able to dictate play.
Scott McTominay offers industry out of possession, but a partnership of him (in the holding role) and Marcel Sabitzer lacked a controlling presence - evidence of how sorely missed Christian Eriksen has been, and how much of a miss the suspended Casemiro will be.
Fulham gave United several scares, putting United under pressure, forcing David de Gea to keep his side remotely in the contest. But the home defence was eventually breached from one of a number of corners won, with a lapse in concentration contributing to a knock-on being able to find an unmanned Aleksandar Mitrovic, who converted into an open net.
United lacked opportunities, although one big chance, which stemmed from Antony - introduced in a shrewd alteration by Ten Hag in place of McTominay - breaking away and playing a well-timed ball, was game-changing even though Jadon Sancho failed to convert after rounding Bernd Leno.
The failure to convert was due to a block by Willian, which was adjudged by VAR to have hit the Brazilian's. Chaos ensued - United's lifeline.
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Manager Marco Silva was dismissed for berating referee Chris Kavanagh when at the pitchside monitor, and things spiralled from there. Within two minutes, Fulham had lost their manager and two players - Willian due to the illegal denial of a goalscoring opportunity and then Mitrovic for losing his cool completely and pushing the referee in an act of fury.
All the while, despite his lucrative playing time, Fernandes showed clear-mindedness in reserve to convert past Leno from the penalty spot to equalise. His teammates also did well not to get drawn into the chaos.
Somewhat fortuitously as a legacy of their opposition's implosion, United had momentum to capitalise on. It was to their credit that they pushed on and took the lead promptly.
A surge came straight after the levelling penalty, with Luke Shaw ultimately playing a low ball across, which was met by Sabitzer, who back-heeled in classy fashion to beat Leno for his first United goal.
From there, level-headedness and composure saw United get over the line and into another semi-final. Fernandes showed a ruthless streak to consolidate the victory in the closing minutes, beating Leno from the edge of the box.
It meant United ended on a high heading into the ongoing international break, even if they very nearly exited the FA Cup and saw an exceptional record in knockout competitions curtailed. This does exemplify the necessity of a pause to allow refreshment, meaning such near misses aren't repeated.
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Some players may be away with their national teams, but even a slight bit more rest could be meaningful for Ten Hag's players.
Providing their overcome Sevilla in the Europa League quarter-finals, they will hope to be in as good a shape as possible ahead of the prospect of playing during every midweek until the end of the season.
The fact that this sort of fixture congestion has already been overcome for the most part should offer solace for United, albeit they had started to wilt somewhat. With other top four rivals in the Premier League playing less, there is some jeopardy.
But, for once, there is no doubting the international break is timely and will have been welcomed with open arms by Ten Hag and his players.
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