The Manchester United faithful endured their 17th Premier League defeat of the season after an uninspiring performance against West Ham.
Goals from Tomas Soucek and Jarrod Bowen earned the visitors a 2-0 victory, leaving Ruben Amorim’s men in a lowly 16th position.
Inevitably, the Red Devils’ campaign hinges on the Europa League final against Tottenham, with the prospect of Champions League football a surprising possibility.
However, this was a demoralising display from the Old Trafford outfit. One that has left many questioning the path of this football club.
Here are our five talking points from the game.
Manchester United lose unbeaten home streak against West Ham
It has been a season of unwanted statistics for the 20-time English champions, with Sunday’s victory adding further ammunition for any naysayers.
The Hammers’ previous Old Trafford success came on 13 May 2007, when Carlos Tevez ensured Premier League survival for the Londoners.
As we know, the Argentine forward went on to join Sir Alex Ferguson’s side later that summer, spending two successful seasons on loan with the club.
But, given the magnitude of domestic capitulation under Amorim, three points would have supplied a welcome reprieve.
Red Devils suffer significant blow as Yoro picks up a concerning injury
Having named a strong starting XI, Ruben would have been keen to avoid any fresh injury concerns before their pivotal Europa League clash a week on Wednesday.
Unfortunately, this was not the case as Leny Yoro went down clutching his foot, under innocuous circumstances, just minutes into the second half.
The French teenager was subsequently replaced by Harry Maguire and is uncertain for the European showpiece against Spurs.
Yoro has been a standout performer over the last couple of months and has stepped up in the absence of key defender Lisandro Martinez. With Matthijs de Ligt’s fitness status currently unclear, the Reds could well be without two of their star centre-backs in Bilbao.
A familiar tale unfolds in M16
It felt like Groundhog Day at Old Trafford as the hosts again missed a litany of chances to score before being sucker-punched at the other end.
We have seen similar stories this term against Nottingham Forest, Brighton, Bournemouth and, most recently, Wolves, at the famous old venue.
This will no doubt irk Amorim, who won’t be happy with overseeing all of these domestic collapses.
It is a habit that will need to be broken next season if United are to kick on under the Portuguese tactician’s stewardship, as home-form is a key building block for any successful team.
Manchester United appear to be going through the motions in the league
It is unquestionably a very awkward position for United domestically.
Their league form has been atrocious, but there is always that lingering thought that avoiding injuries has probably gained significance over the past few weeks rather than earning points.
The Mancunian outfit has absolutely prioritised going all the way in Europe, and this has incurred a knock-on effect.
Sadly, the 20-time English champions haven’t come through unscathed, though, with the unfortunate injuries to De Ligt and Yoro providing an unwanted headache for Amorim and his staff.
Hojlund’s struggles continue in front of goal
The Dane netted his tenth goal in all competitions last Thursday against Athletic Club in the Europa semi-final second leg. But he was one of the more wasteful forwards on Sunday against the East London side.
Regularly criticised for his issues in build-up play, the Dane had two big chances that he really should be slotting away.
An assured striker would undoubtedly have buried at least one of them, but Hojlund has the look of a man devoid of confidence at the moment.
The club have some big decisions to make in the upcoming summer transfer window, and the pursuit of a reliable marksman will be high up on their to-do list.
What did you make of a disappointing Manchester United outing in defeat to West Ham?
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