After a fortnight dominated by the comments of Bruno Fernandes and Lisandro Martinez and poor results, Michael Carrick needed a strong reaction from his United players.

He did not get it.

Where intensity was needed, he got sluggishness. Instead of concentration and decisiveness, he got careless mistakes and poor decision-making.

Carrick cannot be blamed for the shortcomings of his players - all three goals were easily avoidable, while further errors went unpunished by the Cherries.

That said, United's lack of identity and structure, particularly in the first half, did not bode well for the manager's future.

If there was a plan of attack, it did not go further than producing hopeful crosses and taking pot shots from outside the penalty area. It took United 40 minutes to register their first shot on target.

This was United's fourth consecutive home league game against Bournemouth in which they have conceded three or more goals and failed to win - that this is just a footnote to the result illustrates the scale of the mess they are in.

The Red Devils have kept just one clean sheet in 12 games in all competitions this season, and that came against Champions League minnows Sabah of Azerbaijan.

Carrick's name was sung at the full-time whistle as, teary-eyed, he completed a lap of appreciation and patted his chest.

Supporters clearly see him as a victim of the club's failures, not the cause. As soon as he disappeared down the tunnel, their applause turned to jeers at the players trudging behind him.