IT IS only a fortnight since Manchester United crossed the Bosphorus into Asia to beat Fenerbahce 2-0 and leave themselves on the brink of becoming the first British team to qualify for the knockout stage since the Champions League was launched. It seems longer, and beyond the brink there now lies an abyss.
Alex Ferguson's players lost the best part of a night's sleep on the long journey home from Istanbul. At the time there appeared to be little else to disturb their slumbers. United had just beaten Liverpool and they were within striking distance of the Premiership leaders Newcastle.
How quickly things can change. Fenerbahce will visit Old Trafford tonight wondering if the United they have been hearing about can possibly be the same United who silenced Turkish supporters with two quick goals early in the second half from David Beckham and Eric Cantona, plus a thoroughly professional performance all round.
Since then United have been routed 5-0 by Newcastle at St James' Park and 6-3 by Southampton at The Dell. Peter Shmeichel, so wonderfully chipped by Croatia's Davor Suker in the European Championship, has now been beaten by wedge shots from Philippe Albert and Matthew Le Tissier.
Roy Keane, absent in Istanbul, is about to go, missing again after another sending-off. Cantona has twice courted a red card following a crude tool on Pete Beardsley in the Newcastle game and an assault on Ulrich van Gobbel at The Dell. More bizarrely, Beckham is having to deny accusations of baring his buttocks to a Southampton fan.
Ferguson, in short, is suffering the trials of Job while having to listen to the wails of Jeremiah. Matt Busby's United team might have lost 6-3 at West Bromwich in the season that they won the European Cup, but that is a distant comfort just now.
United need to win this evening not merely to ensure their presence in the quarter finals next March but to their own peace of mind. It is not so much a matter of getting their act together as their heads.
Ferguson badly wants to add the Champions Cup to his unique domestic triumphs. But if United can gain anything from the setbacks of the last nine days it will surely be a revised set of priorities.
Liverpool always put success in the league above everything else, even the European Cup. Victory over Fenerbahce will give Ferguson sufficient breathing space to impress up on his players the importance of not looking beyond the next match.
United should beat Fenerbahce tonight to make sure of reaching the last eight of the Champions League from their qualifying group. Juventus, who come to Old Trafford in three weeks, will also be in the quarter finals if they defeat Rapid Vienna in the Stadio delle Alpi.
Nothing, however, can be taken for granted. certainly not in United's case. Three years ago another Turkish side, Galatasaray, forced a 3-3 draw at Old Trafford when United's unbeaten home record in Europe was only preserved by a late goal from Cantona.
Cantona is the crucial figure now. In Istanbul he eventually proved a major influence, but since becoming captain the Frenchman has shown a tendency to supervise rather than inspire.
In a newly released video Cantona expresses an interest in playing sweeper, to which Ferguson is entitled to retort that he can play the lead role in Les Miserables, provided he does, not expect to do it in a United shirt.
Ryan Giggs is still out, and Gary Pallister and Nicky Butt are both doubtful for tonight with knee injuries. Pallister's absence would mean Ronny Johnsen, who marked the skilful Nigerian, Jay Jay Oko cha in Istanbul, rejoining David May at centre-back.
