OpinionWith no obvious candidate waiting in the wings, where do Manchester United turn for a desperately needed ‘captain fantastic’?

Valencia is tough, but United’s lack of leaders has been evident several times this season, men who come to the fore when the chips are down.

The club have boasted some great past captains: Roy Keane, Bryan Robson, Gary Neville, Wayne Rooney, Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic, all rightly revered as club legends. Most played in the centre, well placed to instruct and drive their men forward.

Robson – known as ‘Captain Marvel’ – believed becoming captain helped him become a better player.

“Some players will tell you their form suffered after becoming skipper because they found the added responsibility a burden and a distraction from their own game,” said Robson. “Others shy away from it because they simply feel it’s not for them, but I relished the responsibility and thrived on it.”

How much characters like Robson and his ilk have been needed in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson years, when a once indomitable spirit slipped as United became just another team. They’re still trying to get back to the top, with several managerial changes off the field and an absence of leadership on it.