At the end of an afternoon that began as a celebration, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and his players were left feeling more than a little deflated.
'The dressing room was almost like a funeral,' confessed Manchester United's new permanent manager.
'They were all sat there and it was very quiet. They were disappointed in their performance. It's not like jubilation because we won and got the three points.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and his players were left a little deflated despite defeating Watford
'They all know this was below-par, which is great because you want players to be honest with themselves. We know we can play so much better.'
This was a day to remind Solskjaer just how much work needs to be done after signing a three-year contract last week.
Having been outplayed by Wolves in the FA Cup a fortnight ago, United came back from the international break and had a similar experience on their own patch against Watford. The scoreline was harsh on Javi Gracia's vibrant side who were on top for long periods.
'Lucky' and 'awful' were two words used by Luke Shaw to describe United, and it was hard to argue.
They return to Molineux in the Premier League on Tuesday night with every right to feel wary of a Wolves team that face Watford in the FA Cup semi-final on Sunday.
The Red Devils were made to work hard for the win, and showed some vulnerabilities in the tie
There is no mistaking the change in mood around Old Trafford. It was evident in the scene that greeted Solskjaer as he emerged into the sunshine as supporters unveiled a huge new 20LEGEND banner across the Stretford End, and it was still there at the end despite the nature of this victory.
But after back-to-back defeats against Arsenal and Wolves, and a fortuitous win over Watford, the momentum he has brought to his old club is in danger of being lost if United cannot raise their game over the remaining seven Premier League fixtures and a highly-anticipated Champions League quarter-final against Barcelona.
'We want to end the season on a high,' said Solskjaer. 'We've been the best team since just before Christmas
