Michael Carrick's Manchester United were ripped apart in a dreadful 4-1 defeat at Como in the Champions League, as their miserable run of results stretched to seven without a win.
The pressure continues to pile on Carrick and this United side as their start to the season lurches from bad to worse - and on Wednesday night they were humbled by a Como team that delivered more intensity and quality in Italy.
The first attribute should be a non-negotiable but, despite United's application being in the spotlight, they were once again outworked by their opposition. Static in midfield, allowing Como players to run off them, losing markers... this was a shocking show of United's big failings out of possession.
The tone was set just two minutes in when Man Utd went behind early on - again. They are the first English side to concede in back-to-back Champions League games so soon and never got to grips with Cesc Fabregas' impressively coached team.
Nico Paz brought the class for the hosts. The talented Argentina international stuck the opener into the top corner when Harry Maguire gave him too much space and then slotted in a third after catching Carlos Baleba in possession.
Paz set up another Como goal, too, playing in Tasos Douvikas, who ran away from a disoriented Matthijs de Ligt to find the net inside four minutes of the second half.
This was De Ligt's first start in 325 days due to back problems and came due to a wider spate of injuries at the club. But excuses for this United performance may wear thin quickly for the travelling support who stood in the pouring rain to watch this dismantling.
United's own star, Bruno Fernandes, was anonymous again, with just one goal involvement now in his past nine appearances for the club. His head-shaking summed up the mood before a sweeping Como fourth, which saw unmarked centre-back Jacobo Ramon head in, underlining the vast gap between the sides on the night.
Joshua Zirkzee's injury-time goal was of little consolation. With just three points from their first three games, United have an uphill battle to make it out of the league phase in this competition. More immediately they are in desperate need of a better performance and win at home to Bournemouth on Sunday in the Premier League, live on Your Site.
Manchester United boss Michael Carrick:
"I'm really angry but you've got to move on and deal with what's next. At this moment in time, there's a lot to do before the next game to get the team ready, because that was a difficult night for everybody.
"It's not about playing for me - it's about playing for this club. My whole life's wrapped around it [Man Utd]. I genuinely give everything I possibly can. It's not about me, it's about what we all give."
Asked if all of the players give as much as he does, Carrick said: "I'd like to think so. I didn't like what I saw tonight though."
Your Site' Paul Merson:
"They've got to start winning matches. The problem with Manchester United is we still live in the age of when it was [Wayne] Rooney, [Cristiano] Ronaldo and people like that.
"We're caught by the name - one of the biggest clubs in the world. But they're not one of the biggest teams in the world. They're far from it. Everybody judges them on when they had superstars.
"I don't see it as a shock. I look at their players and I don't go, 'oh this is a surprise'. I didn't expect them to beat Leeds. Absolutely not. I didn't expect them to beat Como. That's where they are.
"Rooney, Ronaldo, [Roy] Keane... they're a million miles away."
'Como defeat is one of Man Utd's worst ever in Europe'
Your Site News' Danyal Khan in Como:
"Michael Carrick looked very angry. He's the first one to defend his players whenever he can.
"It was one of those games where you know from the first minutes that United weren't at it. The body language from some of those players... you could tell Carrick was frustrated.
"Let's not sugar coat it - this is one of their worst ever results in Europe.
"This was a pretty surprising and shocking performance, but I think it's been coming as well. My feeling is that watching this game has told us what we've been thinking about this Manchester United team.
"There will be speculation about how that changing room is feeling and whether Michael Carrick still has them on board. But tonight, it doesn't quite feel everyone is on board.
"Ultimately there's a lot more pressure on Carrick and his position at Manchester United."
2: BIG MISS! Diogo Dalot takes a Matheus Cunha cross down in the box but his left-foot shot flashes wide of the far post.
2: GOAL! Nico Paz curls Como's opener into the top corner after Harry Maguire gives him too much space. A similar chance to Dalot's - a different result!
17: WIDE! Harry Maguire heads wide from a Bryan Mbeumo cross.
39: BIG MISS! Tasos Douvikas blazes over after stepping into the United box, failing to capitalise on static defending.
41: OFFIDE! A let-off for Senne Lammens and Man Utd as an offside flag goes up against Douvikas after he is brought down in the box by the goalkeeper.
HT: SUBS! Michael Carrick makes two changes at the break with Amad Diallo and Carlos Baleba sent on for Andrey Santos and Matheus Cunha.
49: GOAL! Man Utd concede at the start of the second half, too, as Paz plays in Douvikas, who runs off Matthijs de Ligt before firing in.
54: CLOSE! Lucas da Cunha blasts a left-foot shot wide from inside the box when he looked primed to add a third.
57: GOAL! Baleba makes an ill-advised turn in his own half with no cover behind him and Paz takes the ball and races in on goal to add a third.
64: CHANCES! But Amad can't connect with Fernandes' clipped pass into the box to pull one back for United. Moments later he sees a shot tipped over.
76: GOAL! Centre-back Jacobo Ramon heads in to finish off another sweeping Como move.
90+1: GOAL! Joshua Zirkzee is narrowly onside to grab a late goal for Man Utd, finding the net after controlling Amad's cross.
