COMMENT: Over 48 hours Jose Mourinho drew his line in the sand. It was planned. It was calculated. Like every public utterance from the Manchester United manager, his words between Friday and Saturday served a purpose.
This was Mourinho at his best. He wasn't going to do this behind closed doors. He already had. Time and again. Now the players were left in no doubt where everyone stood.
Friday was the set up. Saturday, the punchline. Going into the FA Cup tie with Brighton, Mourinho made it clear: he was staying. And more so, he and the board were on the same page.
"...the good thing for me and the amazing feeling for me is that I am exactly on the same page as the owners, as Mr Woodward, Mr Arnold, we are on exactly the same page, we agree on everything, on the investments, that we have what we have, the investments that we are going to do will be season after season, we are exactly on the same page, so life is good," said Mourinho as part of his so-called 12 minute 'rant'.
In terms of "investment", this was nothing new. The manager had already stated plans to strengthen in key areas - specifically midfield - the previous fortnight. But Mourinho was also reaffirming something: that he and those upstairs are of one mind.
Then 24 hours later, after battling to victory, he closed out his salvo with a warning to his players. If Friday was to establish he wasn't going anywhere, Saturday's message went straight to the heart of his squad: this trial is over; decisions must and will be made.
Mourinho coolly stated: "When the sun is shining and everything goes well, you win matches, you score goals, everything goes in your direction, every player is a good player and wants to play and wants the ball and looks amazing and is confident.
"When it is dark and cold, and in football that means a period of bad results or a bad result, not everybody has the confidence and personality to play really.
"To be on the pitch and touch the ball every five minutes, everyone can do it, but to be on the pitch and say 'give me the ball because I want to play', not everyone can do that."
Again, just as on Friday, there was nothing new from Mourinho. We've heard it all before. This squad is a squad full of "nice boys". But that's not going to win United the league. A Cup. A one-off on a sunny day at Wembley. For sure. But digging out results consistently. Winning on personality more than anything else. This group just doesn't have it.
The difference was in the timing. Ruthless, no-holds-barred messages back-to-back. Next season will be Mourinho's third as United manager. It's time to get a move on.
Examine Mourinho's words in the Brighton aftermath and it's no stretch to suggest it's a plea for a new Diego Costa, John Terry or Branislav Ivanovic. That's what he's seeking now. Players with "personality" as the Portuguese say. Luis Figo did the same thing just Sunday when talking about Andre Gomes and his problems at Barcelona. No-one's hauled Figo over the coals for essentially telling Gomes to buck up. But they are with Mourinho and his words.
The reaction of some wailing in the media has been pathetic. To highlight Mourinho's misuse of the word "heritage" when clearly he was discussing United's recent history was typically opportunistic. Instead of offering some context for their audience, those desperate to sink the boot in simply misled.
When Mourinho mentioned heritage, he was meaning history. A recent history where United have found themselves in the shadow of Manchester City and Chelsea. Of bumbling European campaigns. And of a club restricted by a team incapable of delivering consistently when it matters.
When Sir Alex Ferguson knocked Liverpool off their perch all those years ago, he didn't do it with "nice boys". He did with a team of 'baskets'. Of the likes of Steve Bruce, Paul Ince, Mark Hughes and Peter Schmeichel. Players with 'personality'. Where are these types in the current United team? That's what Mourinho is driving at.
Some ex-players are claiming he's hoping for a reaction from his players. But it's gone far beyond that. Mourinho is now repeating himself - and he's tired of it.
As he stated on Friday, there's only going to be one winner from this. He has the backing of his board. For the players, Saturday night was one last warning before the summer market swings open.
“I have nothing to lose in relation to that," he said after being asked if he regretted his Brighton post-match comments. "The strong ones will be always the strong ones. The young ones under pressure and under criticism all improve or don't improve."
To the players, the message is clear: the manager is here to stay. You accept that. You accept his demands. Or you can pack your bags. Don't say you weren't warned.