Manchester United have fallen to one of the most embarrassing European defeats in their proud history as Champions League upstarts Como ran out 4-1 victors to heap pressure on coach Michael Carrick.
The under-fire Red Devils boss had felt Sunday's purposeful point at rivals Leeds marked a "fresh start" after defender Lisandro Martinez had articulated the club's shortcomings in a set of stunning interviews last week.
But United instead saw their wretched start to the season hit a new low on Wednesday as a Como side built by former Spanish star Cesc Fabregas punished a display devoid of shape, grit and skill to extend their winless run to a seventh match.
This humbling loss puts Carrick's future under intense scrutiny, with the storm that battered the Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia nothing compared to the one brewing at Old Trafford.
United made a nightmare start, just as they did at Atletico Madrid last week, as burgeoning star Nico Paz struck against a side that were shaky out of possession and shapeless with it.
Carrick's side were fortunate to only be a goal behind at the break and their luck soon ran out, with Tasos Douvikas' strike followed by Paz scoring his second and Jacobo Ramon heading home to make it 4-0.
Substitute Joshua Zirkzee added a consolation goal on a night that ended with Carrick holding his hands up apologetically in front of those United fans that stayed until the end.
United were without nine players in Italy but Como were also beset by injuries and still managed to play bold, joined-up football that had the visitors chasing shadows.
In the other early game, Galatasaray won 4-2 at Lille with Victor Osimhen scoring against one of his former clubs.
Nineteen-year-old Soriba Diaoune scored twice for Lille in the first half but it was 2-2 at the break before an own goal and a strike from Osimhen put the Turkish side in control.