Michael Carrick left the pitch at Old Trafford to his own name being sung, teary-eyed, patting his chest. The players who followed him down the tunnel got jeered. That one scene sums up Sunday: Bournemouth beat Manchester United 3-0, Carrick's team have now gone eight games without a win, and the supporters have apparently decided who they blame.
A first half that fell apart before the break
The build-up had been all about Bruno Fernandes, dropped to the bench after he blamed Carrick's tactics for the 4-1 defeat at Como in midweek. He never came on, even as United trailed 2-0. Carrick called it a football decision and later said Fernandes was "fit and available".
Bournemouth were sharper from the start. Evanilson and Rayan both spurned early chances, and the breakthrough came from a Justin Kluivert free-kick that found Rayan unmarked at the back post. He volleyed it past Senne Lammens. Two minutes before half-time Leny Yoro slipped, Adrien Truffert squared, and Marcus Tavernier tapped into an empty net. Boos greeted the whistle. United had needed 40 minutes to register their first shot on target.
No way back
Evanilson had a goal disallowed for offside early in the second half, and Rayan shot straight at Lammens after Ayden Heaven's error, then wasted another when Lisandro Martinez stumbled. The third did come, and it was almost comic. Lammens charged out of his box to a long clearance, Evanilson nipped the ball past him and curled it into the empty goal. It was his fourth goal in five games.
Carrick took responsibility without pretending the errors were his. "The two goals before half-time put us in a challenging position," he said. "We could've done certain things but not enough really." Of Yoro's slip he said: "He's bitterly disappointed. He's learning." Harry Maguire backed his manager but said "something's got to change". Jamie Carragher went further on Sky, saying United should make a managerial decision that night.
What the table says
United are 16th with seven points from eight games. They have kept one clean sheet in 12 matches in all competitions, and it came against Sabah of Azerbaijan. It was also the fourth straight home league game against Bournemouth in which they have conceded three or more without winning.
Bournemouth have won four in a row in all competitions and climb to 13th. Marco Rose praised Rayan's volley, and with Aston Villa in the EFL Cup on Wednesday and Leeds next Saturday, his side are in no hurry to look down. United have the bigger problem. The fans are with Carrick, and the sound at full-time left little doubt about how they feel towards the players.
Match facts: Manchester United 0-3 Bournemouth, Premier League, Old Trafford, Sunday 25 October 2026. Goals: Rayan (Bournemouth) in the first half from a Justin Kluivert free-kick, Marcus Tavernier (Bournemouth) two minutes before half-time, Evanilson (Bournemouth) in the second half. Managers: Michael Carrick (Man Utd), Marco Rose (Bournemouth). Bournemouth possession 37%.
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