Stilton. Precisely!
As for:
Of course if the automatics are not working correctly you disengage and fly manually,
as the EK crew should have done although the automatic functions appear to have been working as advertised in this case.
Of course they already were flying 'manually'! (albeit they were already on the ground!) The autopilot had been taken out in preparation for landing, and auto thrust was deactivated.
All that was asked of them was to fly a take-off. It's a knowledge issue more than a skill issue.