It is nothing new for Manchester United fans to develop something of a siege mentality.
Along with a thick skin, it is a trait you have to develop supporting the Reds and anyone who lived through the glorious years of sustained success and domestic domination under Sir Alex Ferguson knows just how much it riled every other football follower in the land.
It must still irk them that a side currently in 14th place in the Premier League table still dominates the sports news agenda. The Newcastle United faithful rightfully gloated during the 4-1 beating at St James’ Park on Sunday; those who remembered the way they were pipped to the title by Ferguson’s mind games and mastery in 1995/96 will feel some overdue payback was needed.
They'd waited a long time to do a league double over the Reds.
There was even a mosaic tribute to Kevin Keegan before kick-off and the two sets of fans traded chants about Alan Shearer, as is always the case. For once, Newcastle had the upper hand, no question. Some may have mocked their wild celebrations after the Carabao Cup triumph but not me. Silverware is what football is all about, or at least it should be.
It hurt me to witness the events unfold on Tyneside from the press box, as it would have done for every Red high up in the Gods in the stadium. Our fans' defiance in reasserting their support and faith in Ruben Amorim, over and over again, did ease the pain.
And, let’s be honest, there was a bigger picture in play here. As Ruben attested at his press conference afterwards, the focus had to be on tonight's crunch game with Lyon, hence why he made five changes to his XI.
Now, the biggest game of our campaign arrives and whatever the outside noise, it has to be acknowledged and embraced, not feared.
I have no doubts the external noise will build up a pressure-cooker environment to the point where non-Reds tuning in on TV will be sitting and even eagerly anticipating a famous triumph for the French side and this avenue of success to be closed.
You only have to look at how much has been written and said about the goalkeeping situation to understand how it is being whipped into a storm. Yet I know the Old Trafford support will provide just that for Andre Onana and every player tonight - the positivity, home and away, in the crowd is often so at odds with the social-media chatter.
When our backs are against the wall, the world seems around us, Manchester United can always rise to the occasion. When I raised the subject of the pressure around these European ties with the players recently, they appreciated that it simply goes with the territory when you pull on the red shirt.
I have every faith that the media frenzy, the constant sniping, can be washed away in a wave of emotion and raucous noise, generated from way before kick-off. Every fan knows just how much it means to maintain our unbeaten record and progress in this competition.
It is pressure. It is on a knife-edge. For all the apprehension and nervousness, it is the sort of occasion where Manchester United can show our true colours and stand up to be counted, on the pitch and in the stands.
It often feels like it is United against the world. This quarter-final second leg is a chance to bite back and silence all those many critics, for one night at least, and put on a united front.
The opinions in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of Manchester United Football Club.