A week ago, the Red Devils were rightly pilloried for their abysmal performance at Middlesbrough. Four days later, they were vilified for another inept display - this time against Lille in Paris.
But, as in the days when Sir Alex Ferguson was in his nineties pomp, the wily Scot turned adversity to his advantage and how his players responded.
Alan Smith and Darren Fletcher, reportedly two of the United players singled out for criticism by club skipper Roy Keane, reacted in magnificent fashion.
While Smith was rightly named as man of the match as biting tackle after biting tackle disrupted Chelsea's rhythm, Fletcher was only a whisker off emulating the former Leeds man.
It was Fletcher who scored the only goal of the game just after the half hour from a glorious move.
Wes Brown found Wayne Rooney, whose delicate pass went to Paul Scholes. The former England man knocked the ball to Cristiano Ronaldo on the left and his pinpoint cross to the far post was met by Fletcher.
Stretching his neck, the Scotland midfielder met the ball perfectly and sent his header from the edge of the six-yard box back towards the top corner of the net.
Chelsea captain John Terry made a gallant effort to clear at the far post but the header went over him and into the roof of the net.
But, with over an hour still to go, United still had a massive test of character to pass.
They could have taken the lead in the 18th minute when Rooney set up Scholes, whose rasping 25-yard shot fizzed inches wide of a post.
United should have added to their goal nine minutes after the interval when Fletcher set up Ruud van Nistelrooy, but the Dutchman blasted his shot high over the bar from only 10 yards.
Chelsea's only real chance of the first half came when Didier Drogba raced on to Frank Lampard's superb 60-yard pass, only to chip weakly at United goalkeeper Edwin Van der Sar.
But, as the game wore on, the champions, whose last Premiership defeat was 1-0 at Manchester City just over a year ago, piled on the pressure.
Van der Sar saved well at point-blank range from Drogba and brave United defending finally saw the home side over the winning line.