Interim manager Ralf Rangnick had nothing to offer but apologies for his side’s “humiliating” 4-0 drubbing by Brighton and Hove Albion on Saturday, a result that clinically put paid to their faint hopes of playing in the Champions League next season.
The German had actually left his guard down after his side had beaten Brentford 3-0 earlier and had actually fanned the unbridled optimism enveloping Old Trafford that they were finally raising the bar again, which had then been the sentiment shared by Cristiano Ronaldo and the rest of the players.
However, the eviscerating defeat has now shut the team up and widened the chasm between United and fourth-placed Arsenal by five points and with only just one match left for Rangnick’s team, there’s no way the downward-spiralling Red Devils can finish higher than their current sixth place in the standings as all the teams above them have games in hand.
To exacerbate things, there’s even a possibility of them ending up lower in the standings if West Ham United wee to leapfrogg them as the latter are only are six points behind them but have two games in hand.
“It was a terrible performance. From the first until the last minute it was not enough. We can only apologise for this performance and a humiliating defeat,” said Rangnick, who will hand over coaching duties to Erik ten Hag at the end of the season.
“[Monday’s win over Brentford] was a different game, we just gave too much time and space (to Brighton),” added German Rangnick.
“We were never in a position where we could stop them playing through our lines. We told the players be as compact as they could but we couldn’t stop it.”
United have now squandered three of their last five league games, with 12 goals poached during that run. It is easily understandable why the Old Trafford faithfuls have been left tugging at their hair as United have endured their worst-ever Premier League season with 56 goals conceded so far.
While it is not going against the grain of comprehension to accept losses to top-four opposition Liverpool and Arsenal, the shameful rout at the hands of Brighton left United’s fans so incensed that they chanted “you’re not fit to wear the shirt” during Saturday’s match.
“What we did today, what I did today, was not enough to be in a Manchester United shirt and I accept it,” midfielder Bruno Fernandes told Sky Sports.
His manager added: “In games like today and at Everton [when we were beaten 1-0, there was a lack of energy and aggression. In the first three or four months we were on the right pathway, but in the last four weeks we have been really poor.”
It never leaves a nice after taste in the mouth having to have a huge chunk of humble pie shoved into one’s mouth. Rangnick and his self-flagellating men should have long gotten used to that by now.