Ruben Amorim performed an experiment which exploded in his face during another damaging and dismal day for the Manchester United manager at Old Trafford.
In a 'strike a light' moment for Amorim, United looked like what they are after being beaten 2-0 by Crystal Palace. Which is a striker light. At least.
With Marcus Rashford heading to Aston Villa on-loan, Amorim decided to leave Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee on the bench and ask defensive midfielder Kobbie Mainoo to lead United's attack. Against a team which arrived at Old Trafford having conceded just four goals in their last seven games in all competitions.
Strangely enough, it was a genuine centre forward who won the game. And sadly for Amorim that man belonged to Palace, in the shape of Jean-Phillipe Mateta.
All Amorim's gamble achieved was to teach him two things. That Mainoo isn't a centre forward, and United need a proper one before the transfer window closes on Monday night.
Because as it stands, just three top flight teams have scored fewer league goals than United this season. Amorim, who made six changes from the team that won in Bucharest in the Europa League, had ordered his team to be both humble and arrogant with the ball.
If this didn't confuse his players, then it's difficult to know what would! Not to mention the fact Amorim went into battle with Mainoo being asked to provide the focal point of United's attack.
Which said little for the prowess of Hojlund and Zirkzee. But the plan almost worked inside five minutes, when Mainoo burst into the box and pulled the ball back for Alejandro Garnacho, who saw his shot from close range deflected just over the top by Alex Richards.
Seconds later Mainoo's scuffed shot came back off the post. Yet United's positive start could have been ruined when Daniel Munoz ghosted in at the back post to meet a cross, only to send his header just over the crossbar.
Palace were growing into the game, with Maxence Lacroix demanding a smart save form Andre Onana, before Tyrick Mitchell's cross just evading Ismaila Sarr.
And Mateta should have put Palace ahead before half time, when Jefferson Lerma's pass put him in behind the United defence. But with just Onana to beat, he saw his effort finish agonisingly wide, after the United goalkeeper got a slight touch.
In truth, however, it was a tough watch. A game between 12th and 13th in the table and two sides who couldn't keep the ball, or do much with it when they didn't.
Dean Henderson denied Bruno Fernandes and Manuel Ugarte in quick succession, as United continued to look about as threatening as a wet sponge in attack.
And Palace ended the tedium on 64 minutes when Lacroix headed Eberechi Eze's free kick back across goal, allowing Mateta to pounce from close range.
It took United falling behind for Amorim to see sense, and he hauled Mainoo off and sent on Hojlund and Zirkzee with 20 minutes remaining, in the hope the duo could salvage something from the wreckage.
But all that happened was Mateta scored his second, as United slumped to their seventh defeat in 13 league games since Amorim took charge.
And just to pile more pain on United, Lisandro Martinez was stretchered off in tears towards the end with what looked like a serious knee injury.
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