The Ten Most Disappointing Man Utd Matches I’ve Experienced in Over a Decade of Following the Club

October 23, 2026 sportnow MANCHESTER UNITED’S demoralizing loss to Como seemed poised to be the final straw for Michael Carrick’s reign at Old Trafford.

The ex-United midfielder is still desperately holding onto his position and will aim to extend his tenure when his team challenges Bournemouth this weekend.

United have seen their share of bleak times recently, but this latest loss felt like a new low as Cesc Fabregas’ team easily dispatched them without breaking a sweat.

The humiliating result has left fans reeling, but this isn’t the first time the Red Devils have faced public disgrace.

SunSport’s Samuel Luckhurst, who has reported on United for over a decade, reminisces on the club’s most shocking performances during this time.

Louis van Gaal appeared unfazed by this outcome. Aside from David de Gea, every player in the starting squad was either loaned out or sold within a year.

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Although it was only a League Cup match, it served as an early sign that United might be irreparably damaged following Sir Alex Ferguson’s departure. It was Van Gaal’s third match in charge, yet the lopsided score was typically associated with a managerial exit.

Van Gaal’s heavily-rotated squad made it surprising that De Gea was even in the starting lineup. The team included Premier League title winners like De Gea, Jonny Evans, Shinji Kagawa, Danny Welbeck, Anderson, and Javier Hernandez.

Fans were in an optimistic mood before the match with the recent signing of Angel di Maria. However, against a Dele Alli-led MK Dons, they endured their most humiliating domestic cup loss since York City defeated them 3-0 at Old Trafford in 1995.

This was the original post-Ferguson crisis defeat at Old Trafford. Liverpool would go on to inflict heavier defeats on United, but this home match highlighted the club’s decline even when they were champions and fielding their strongest XI.

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David Moyes’s managerial credibility was already being called into question after a gutless loss at Olympiakos just a few weeks prior. This match provided further evidence of his inadequacy to lead United.

While Liverpool were in the midst of a surprising run towards the top of the table, the previous season they had finished in seventh place. The 3-0 victory showed a staggering 43-point shift from the prior season’s standings.

This result was so shocking that it made the prospect of Moyes being sacked—the first time in over 27 years—start to seem realistic. The decision to fire him came just 37 days later.

Ferguson’s “Lads, it’s Tottenham” remark has taken on a new, troubling meaning for United in recent years, as Erik ten Hag failed to secure a victory against Ange Postecoglou’s side.

The month of September 2024 began and ended with 3-0 defeats at home against Liverpool and Spurs, respectively, causing the new United management to question their decision to retain Ten Hag.

United’s display was eerily similar to that of the previous season. The defense felt detached from the attack, the midfield was overwhelmed, and goal-scoring opportunities were scarce.

At halftime, Andre Onana, surprisingly, was the only one keeping the score respectable at 1-0. Bruno Fernandes received a red card just before halftime.

In his final pre-match press conference weeks later, Ten Hag absurdly claimed: “I deny that game,” insisting that Fernandes’s red card had been rescinded.

That day, Fernandes had been so underwhelming that perhaps a card might have been all too generous.

This match was a clear sign that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer would struggle in his role at United. It was his sixth match as permanent manager, and they nearly hit rock bottom against a lackluster Everton side where even Theo Walcott scored.

In midweek, Barcelona had just eliminated United from the Champions League, and Goodison Park is notorious for being an unforgiving place to recover from such a setback. United was unable to bounce back after this heavy defeat on Easter Sunday.

Paul Pogba and Romelu Lukaku, the club’s two priciest players, were both eyeing exits. Phil Jones still found himself starting at center back, while Anthony Martial had lost motivation without a contract to play for. Nemanja Matic was sluggish, and De Gea was in a slump.

United showed so little determination that Lukaku was the only member of the matchday squad sold that summer.

This defeat was the turning point when United’s executives realized Solskjaer needed to be dismissed. The team faced a 4-0 deficit by halftime.

Although Solskjaer wasn’t known for his tactical expertise, he looked more like a Sunday League manager against Liverpool. Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw both experienced what may have been career-worst performances and yet still retained their positions within the squad.

This marked United’s first 5-0 defeat to their fiercest rivals since 1925, prompting fans to exit Old Trafford around the 60-minute mark.

One senior club official even suggested that the 2-0 home loss to City a mere 13 days later was worse. Fernandes missed a clear opportunity at 0-0 against Liverpool; in contrast, during the City game, United registered more attempts on target towards their own goal than City managed.

Liverpool would later go on to defeat United 7-0 at Anfield the following season, which felt more like an anomaly. While United showed promise in the first half against Liverpool, their second-half collapse revealed one of the worst mental break-downs in Premier League history.

The 2021-22 season highlighted some of United’s most notable defeats, with opponents scoring at least four goals in six matches: Leicester 4-2, Liverpool 5-0, Watford 4-1, City 4-1, Liverpool 4-0, and Brighton 4-0.

United saved their worst for last. In Ralf Rangnick’s penultimate match as manager, the score was wholly unacceptable. Away fans chanted, “You’re not fit to wear the shirt” for the first time in response to a loss. The scoreline flattered United, dominated by the impressive Moises Caicedo – and it wouldn’t be the last time.

The dressing room Rangnick inherited was perhaps the most toxic in United’s history, with players nearing the end of their contracts while others seemed to be mentally checked out.

Following the match, chaos ensued as Cristiano Ronaldo stayed in the locker room while his teammates departed for the coach without him.

Though it was a well-planned act, Ronaldo received applause from the traveling fans while deliberately keeping his distance from his teammates.

This match provided further justification for sacking Erik ten Hag, even after the FA Cup victory just 19 days prior. Confirmation the day before that Harry Maguire was unavailable due to another injury essentially sealed their fate before they even took the field.

At first glance, United’s line-up appeared beaten. Yet the starting eleven boasted players purchased for hefty sums: £47.2m, £50m, £70m, £86.3m, £60m, and £72m. Additionally, Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho were among those starting.

Casemiro bravely stepped in at center back alongside Jonny Evans, while the electrifying Michael Olise utterly dismantled their defense.

Surprisingly, United supporters applauded and cheered at full-time, showing a misguided loyalty to Ten Hag that did not go unnoticed.

In the aftermath of this crushing defeat, Ineos decided Ten Hag’s time must be up. Then they lost their resolve.

This isn’t just a case of recent memory shaping opinion. United were horrifically poor in Como, marking their worst European defeat since November 1994.

Decades ago in Barcelona, United faced challenges due to the foreigner rule. Ferguson had to play Gary Walsh instead of Peter Schmeichel and Eric Cantona was suspended against Johan Cruyff’s ‘Dream Team’.

Como is a genteel club. Their stadium is the only Italian ground United has visited that lacks a vibrant atmosphere. In theory, Como could have fielded their youth team yet still managed to secure a favorable result.

One United player donned tights, while the captain seemed to exert more energy complaining than actually participating. The squad approached the match as if it were a casual walking football game, prompting their mild-mannered coach to finally lose his composure.

“No matter your formation, no matter your tactics, if you don’t run—forward or back—you can’t expect to win,” Michael Carrick remarked.

For now, Carrick has maintained his job, but this result seems to have already sealed his fate.

This match remains United’s lowest point in the Premier League. They have experienced worse results against stronger opponents (6-1 vs. City, and 5-0 and 7-0 vs. Liverpool), but this defeat left viewers feeling that anything was realistic.

It is one of three games that prompted supporters to chant, “You’re not fit to wear the shirt,” and that sentiment was entirely justified.

Brentford outperformed United by nearly 13 kilometers, leading Ten Hag to subject the players to a 13k run in sweltering heat the following day at the Carrington training ground.

United found themselves 4-0 down by halftime in Ten Hag’s second match as manager. This outcome typically guarantees a manager’s dismissal.

On the trip home, many speculated whether United could genuinely end up in the lower half of the Premier League. That concern proved valid three years later when they did finish 15th.

United didn’t suffer a loss this time; they salvaged a draw after being down 2-0. However, the talent on display (Onana, Fredricson, Maguire, Heaven Dalot, Ugarte, Mainoo, Dorgu, Cunha, Amad, Sesko) and the timing of the result (just three games into the season) against Football League opposition marked the beginning of the end for Ruben Amorim.

This result was the point of no return for the Portuguese manager. The match unfolded amid torrential rain in Cleethorpes, and United looked like a team in dire need of a miracle.

The defeat in the penalty shootout was compounded by the image of Amorim meticulously arranging pieces on his tactics board. United had just faced a fourth-tier team that had drawn with Accrington Stanley just four days prior.

Andre Onana never played for United again after that match. Tyler Fredricson never made a start for the club again. Manuel Ugarte haunted by his lackluster 45 minutes, and Grimsby supporters could be heard chanting, “You’re getting sacked in the morning” at Amorim.