Manchester United’s crisis deepened on Sunday after they suffered a 3-0 home defeat to Bournemouth, further increasing the pressure on manager Michael Carrick.
Carrick’s decision to drop captain Bruno Fernandes backfired as the defeat extended United’s winless run to eight matches and left them 16th in the Premier League, just one point above the relegation zone.
Bournemouth secured a deserved victory through goals from Rayan, Marcus Tavernier and Evanilson, handing manager Marco Rose another impressive result at Old Trafford.
The Cherries have now recorded a 3-0 victory at the stadium for the third time in four seasons.
Fernandes had criticised Carrick’s tactics following United’s 4-1 defeat to Champions League debutants Como on Wednesday.
Although Carrick insisted that leaving the Portuguese midfielder out of the starting line-up was a decision based purely on footballing considerations, Fernandes remained on the bench for the entire match, prompting questions about the circumstances behind his omission.
Bournemouth supporters taunted Carrick with chants of “you’re getting sacked in the morning” as United struggled to respond to another disappointing performance.
However, the latest defeat highlighted the wider problems facing the club, which has struggled to regain its former stature since the retirement of legendary manager Alex Ferguson 13 years ago.
Carrick enjoyed a strong finish to last season during his interim spell in charge, helping United secure third place in the Premier League. That run, however, came without the added demands of European or domestic cup competitions.
United have managed just two victories in 12 matches across all competitions this season, against newly promoted Ipswich and Azerbaijani side Sabah.
Bournemouth, who began the day below United in the league table after a difficult start under Rose, produced another commanding performance just three days after beating AC Milan 3-0.
The visitors outplayed the hosts to claim a convincing win and compound United’s difficult start to the campaign.
As the match approached its conclusion, frustrated United supporters directed their anger towards the club’s unpopular owners, the Glazer family, rather than focusing solely on Carrick.
The United manager applauded the Stretford End and touched his chest as he walked down the tunnel following the final whistle.
Despite the wider questions surrounding the club’s ownership and long-term direction, Carrick could face the immediate consequences of another damaging defeat for the 20-time English champions.
