Defeat is no longer just three points dropped in the Premier League. For Michael Carrick, it has become a blaring alarm over his future at the helm of Manchester United, after a harsh 3-0 battering by Bournemouth at Old Trafford.
The fallout went beyond the scoreline. Questions about the manager's future have burst into the open, with calls for his sacking growing louder, and administrative turmoil at the English club threatens to muddy the picture further.
French journalist Romain Molina has lifted the lid on Carrick's situation in a striking twist. He claims the manager's fate may already be sealed, yet infighting among United's hierarchy has blocked any decision on who replaces him.
Molina wrote on X: "As announced, Carrick's fate was already sealed, but Manchester United's leaders did not agree among themselves on who would succeed him. The INEOS group continues to repeat the same patterns over and over again."
His words point to a crisis far deeper than results on the pitch. They leave United's management facing a difficult test, with the manager's future reportedly settled but no agreement on a suitable replacement. The uncertainty hanging over the club looks set to deepen in the weeks ahead.