The chaos continues, and so will the scrutiny on Michael Carrick. In a match where Manchester United needed a win to stop the rot, a goal within 47 seconds and a red card for Leny Yoro set up a bruising loss to Atletico Madrid.
If the draw to Tottenham last week brought a sense of disbelief at full-time, this was a game that will leave many with a sense of hopelessness. United barely looked like they even believed they could turn it around, in what is a fitting metaphor for Carrick’s current situation.
Indeed, at the same venue where this season’s Champions League final will be held, United provided a reminder – not that any was needed – of exactly why they won’t be participating in club football’s biggest game in June.
United desperately needed to keep things tight at the back early on if they were to settle the nerves at a raucous Metropolitano, and yet they were behind within a minute.
The goal summed up the current circus, with far too much space behind the defence as Alex Baena raced clear. United never looked like they could deal with it, and their fears were confirmed as Pablo Barrios opened the scoring within 53 seconds.
It was the worst possible start but it felt oddly befitting of this current United side, who seem to produce a ridiculous moment (or performance) every week.
Conceding within a minute at one of the most difficult away grounds in Europe suggested that United would be in for a disastrous evening, though they did manage to wrestle back some momentum, with Bryan Mbeumo forcing a superb save from Jan Oblak.
United continued to threaten – with Mbeumo going close again and Carlos Baleba missing a free header at the back post – but it was the hosts who looked the most dangerous, with several well-worked attacks that led them into the United penalty area.
Thankfully for United, Atletico were lacking with the final ball on a few occasions. It could have been a nightmare otherwise, and indeed it almost was before Johnny Cardoso’s lovely curled effort was ruled out for handball in the build-up.
Even though United continued to look better in the second half, there was time for it to descend into chaos again. There always seems to be time for that.
With the visitors pressing for an equaliser, a poorly defended counter-attack led to Jonathan David racing clean through, with Yoro putting his arm across the Canadian. It looked fairly innocuous in real time, but referee Glenn Nyberg went to the monitor and produced a straight red for the Frenchman in the 74th minute.
The visitors had threatened again after half-time – with Fernandes lifting an effort narrowly wide before hitting the top of the woodwork with an audacious effort – but the sending off effectively ended their chances of getting back into the game.
It had been a fairly even match until then too, with both sides having notable chances in the second half, but substitute Ademola Lookman wrapped up the result as he tapped in a rebound from close range.
And while it’s not a result that puts United’s European campaign in jeopardy, it’s another performance that raises questions around the manager.
Carrick made several changes to the side that laboured to that poor draw against Tottenham, with Fernandes playing on the right wing and Baleba making his first start, but while the change in personnel created a few notable chances, United were still far too open.
The ease with which the hosts cut through United – sometimes with the simplest of long balls directly over the defence – was a huge concern, and another sign that the current coaching set-up is out of ideas in terms of coaching defending and out of possession.
Everyone knows United need better defenders, but sometimes there’s not a lot you can do when the system leaves you so exposed. United are still overrun far too easily and far too often in midfield too (even though Baleba put in a great performance), and while some of the play in possession was improved on the night, the attack still relies far too much on individual quality and fortuitous counter-attacking.
All of this points to failures from Carrick and his coaching staff. Several players, including Baleba, Mbeumo and Ayden Heaven, put in solid performances, but it still wasn’t enough to make up for deficiencies in the set-up.
It is true that Carrick has been hung out to dry by those in charge of recruitment, with the sight of Joshua Zirkzee and the absence of Benjamin Sesko a reminder that the squad planning from Jason Wilcox and co. has been poor, as Lisandro Martinez pointed out in an explosive interview. Even the so-called ‘midfield rebuild’ feels ridiculous now, with the £50m signing of Andrey Santos particularly confusing in hindsight.
However, the man in the dugout could still get more from these players, as he showed in the second half of last season. United’s failure to replicate that form means that Carrick deserves to face questions, and unfortunately the approval he earned last term is quickly disappearing.
Hopes were high around the club at the start of the summer, but by autumn they have been extinguished. United are reeling, and with just two wins from their opening nine games of the season, someone will have to pay the price soon.