Michael Carrick dropped Bruno Fernandes and only saw his problems mount as Manchester United succumbed to a humiliating 3-0 defeat to Bournemouth at Old Trafford.
The 4-1 loss away to Como on Wednesday, a seventh game without a win, had already heaped pressure on Carrick with the issues exacerbated by the comments made by Fernandes that Gary Neville viewed as "a direct attack on the manager" and his tactics.
The United boss desperately needed a response. What he received from his confidence-shot players was a lacklustre display from the outset, Bournemouth deserving of their lead long before Rayan calmly volleyed in at the far post from Justin Kluivert's free-kick.
Ayden Heaven's wild lunge conceded that free-kick and it was Leny Yoro's slip that allowed Marcus Tavernier to slot in a second before the break, sparking boos from the home fans and further chants of 'sacked in the morning' from the jubilant away support.
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Carrick turned to Matheus Cunha rather than Fernandes at half-time, hooking the desperately poor Youri Tielemans, but United got worse. Evanilson had one effort ruled out after calamitous defending. Rayan should have punished another bad Heaven mistake.
The arrival of Lisandro Martinez in place of the young defender did not improve things with a hapless cameo during which Evanilson beat Senne Lammens to the ball and finished fantastically for the third. Fernandes stayed on the bench. But what now?
For Marco Rose's Bournemouth, it is back-to-back wins and four in a row in all competitions. How long it remains Carrick's United is unclear. Eight games without a win, 16th in the table and one point above the drop zone, this is a team disjointed, a club divided.
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The fans in the Stretford End directed their ire at the Glazer family, Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Jason Wilcox, singing Carrick's name as he walked down the tunnel before booing the players. And it is the manager whose job is now on the line. Only at Manchester United.
More to follow...
The key moments from Old Trafford
38 - GOAL! Rayan finished at the far post for the first
43 - GOAL! Tavernier doubled the lead after Yoro's slip
71 - GOAL! Evanilson beat Lammens to the ball for three
What the result means and next fixtures...
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