Image source, Getty Images

Michael Carrick signed a two-year contract at Old Trafford in the summer after initially being appointed as interim head coach in January, following the sacking of previous Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim.

He oversaw a dramatic improvement in results, eventually leading United to a third-place finish in the Premier League, guaranteeing a return to Champions League football this season.

But his position has been undermined by a series of poor results this season and public outbursts from key players - centre-back Lisandro Martinez and captain Bruno Fernandes.

Fernandes was dropped on Sunday after criticising Carrick's tactics in Wednesday's 4-0 Champions League defeat at debutants Como.

But that did not spark United into life, quite the opposite, as they slumped to a 3-0 defeat at home to Bournemouth and dropped to 16th place in the Premier League, with just one win and seven points from their opening eight games.

United are also out of the League Cup and are down in 21st place in the Champions League, following that hammering in midweek.

Simon Stone
BBC Sport Chief Football News Reporter at Old Trafford

Image source, Getty Images

There was an air of inevitability about Michael Carrick's walk around Old Trafford after the 3-0 home defeat by Bournemouth.

It is not unusual for Carrick to applaud the Manchester United fans. If anything, his acknowledgements were not as pronounced as they were in Como after the equally devastating loss.

But after eight games without a win, the worst run since 2015-16 and two horrific defeats in a week, the end is approaching for Carrick, with his bosses in serious talks about his future.

However, if anyone in a senior position at the club thinks the issues at Old Trafford will be solved simply by changing the head coach and, more importantly, the fans will be appeased by a new face in the dugout, the reaction from the stands on an awful day on and off the pitch would have very clearly told them otherwise.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Alex Brotherton
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Getty Images

The pressure on Manchester United manager Michael Carrick was upped a further notch by another insipid performance as they slumped to a 3-0 home defeat by Bournemouth.

The Cherries were superb throughout and thoroughly deserving of their victory, which extended United's winless run to eight games.

The visitors, who were 2-0 up by half-time, took the lead when a superb Justin Kluivert free-kick found an unmarked Rayan at the back post and he beat Senne Lammens with a well-taken volley.

United's woes were compounded two minutes before the break when an untimely Leny Yoro slip allowed Adrien Truffert to square for Marcus Tavernier to convert into the empty net.

Boos greeted the half-time whistle, though some home fans did their best to encourage their players as they trudged down the tunnel.

After further chances at the start of the second half, Evanilson eventually knocked in the third after more comedy defending from United. The Brazilian striker raced on to a long clearance and nipped the ball past Lammens, who had come charging out of his penalty area, before curling it into an empty net.

Bournemouth's fourth consecutive win in all competitions left United 16th in the table with seven points after eight Premier League games, while the Cherries climb to 13th.

If you hadn't already seen the highlights and didn't know the score, then one look at Michael Carrick's picture above would give you a sense of how bad it was.

As brilliant as Bournemouth were, Manchester United were shocking.

Pundits put it bluntly - it looked like the United players had "downed tools".

Check out the highlights above if you haven't already seen them...

We've been here before, haven't we?

Manager comes in, has a positive effect, performances seem promising, then levels dip, unrest in the camp, cracks develop between players, management and hierarchy, manager gets the sack, players and hierarchy get the blame, new manager comes in, has a positive effect...

Wash, repeat.

How do Manchester United break the cycle?

Should Michael Carrick be sacrificed, as expected? Or is there another way?

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