Sir Jim Ratcliffe's two choices show he is feeling the pressure at Manchester United

Football is such an all-consuming industry that Sir Alex Ferguson once forgot his wife's birthday. He wrote out a cheque to Cathy as recompense. She tore it up.

When Sir Jim Ratcliffe led the Ineos delegation's visit to Old Trafford in April 2023, he exited via the front door. The waiting photographers had the money shot: billionaire local lad done very good returning to transform the house that Sir Matt Busby built and Ferguson expanded.

Ratcliffe took his time emerging from the main entrance of the east stand. Some United staff appeared sheepish as they accompanied him but a smiling Ratcliffe took his time. The Busby statue was in the background and so was that unmistakable neon sign: Manchester United.

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On Monday, Ratcliffe passed through those doors again to attend a meeting. When he exited, he did so via another door. Ratcliffe took the rear entrance away from the prying eyes of supporters and camera lenses.

It is not the first time Ratcliffe has sought an alternative exit strategy. He strolled through the mixed zone to get to the tunnel after the FA Cup final. A reporter doorstepped him, asking about Erik ten Hag's future.

Ratcliffe was quickly shielded by his svengali Sir Dave Brailsford. In the Football Association's tunnel cam footage, Ratcliffe appeared to ask the Ineos sport project manager, Josh Thompson, whether there was another way out.

There was. Thompson followed the euphoric United players and staff out via the mixed zone but there was no sign of Ratcliffe among the departing party.

That is twice that Ratcliffe has dodged impromptu media queries on whether the United manager would stay or go, four months apart. It indicates something, a lot of things, have gone wrong.

The relative pre-season optimism in the Los Angeles sunshine has been replaced by dark, portentous clouds. Preaching the high-performance gospel according to Brailsford of influencers offering motivational speeches and exposure to natural light has not brightened up world football's most scrutinised club.

Ratcliffe's candid conversation with the BBC about United in Barcelona last week was a contrast to the euphoria and champagne spray he was soaked with following Ineos Britannia's qualification for the America's Cup.

It is progressive that a United power broker is so up front. Many fans like the cut of Ratcliffe's jib and he has talked a good game. But United seldom play a good game.

Passing the buck onto Dan Ashworth and Omar Berrada is not going to wash. Ratcliffe met Thomas Tuchel earlier this year and it is his name in the United programme under the manager's notes. Ratcliffe gave a lengthy interview to MUTV in the week his minority stake was confirmed in February.

He is becoming an unlucky omen. Ratcliffe's Premier League attendance record this year reads: Tottenham home (2-2), Chelsea away (4-3), Liverpool home (2-2), Arsenal home (0-1), Liverpool home (0-3) and Aston Villa away (0-0). He may want to give United's domestic games a swerve in the near future.

Ratcliffe's presence at Villa Park was a departure from the norm. Villa are a Champions League outfit and better than United these days but it is not a glamour fixture. Ratcliffe's presence in the Sir Doug Ellis Stand was more significant than usual.

Ferguson was sitting in the same row. He was also at Monday's meeting. "Interim manager," a friend jokingly messaged. Ferguson was happy to engage with the press after the sweet FA Cup triumph.

Ratcliffe was at Wembley for the ridiculous (the semi-final against Coventry) and the sublime (the final victory over City). The former was on the same day Ratcliffe completed the London Marathon, a unique double for a billionaire who is a sporting hybrid of Sir Richard Branson and Hank Scorpio from The Simpsons.

Scorpio tells Homer: "You can't argue with the little things. It's the little things that make up life." Little is going right at United.