Manchester United’s players piled the pressure on Michael Carrick with a horror show against Cesc Fabregas’s Como. United’s worst start to a season for four decades plumbed new depths after their worst display of the campaign yet. Here, Telegraph Sport dissects their nightmare evening.

Pre-match

After their sixth game without a win on Sunday, Carrick gambles on handing Matthijs de Ligt his first start in almost a year following the defender’s recovery from back surgery. He comes in for the injured Lisandro Martínez, whose post-match interview after United’s 2-0 defeat at Atlético Madrid last week summed up the rot that has set in at Old Trafford. Mason Mount, Matheus Cunha and Noussair Mazraoui are also recalled.

2 mins: 1-0

United conceded in the first minute at the Metropolitano against Atlético and it takes just seconds longer for their goal to be breached at the Giuseppe Sinigaglia Stadium when Como score with their first attack. Nico Paz is given far too much space on the edge of the penalty area before curling a brilliant finish beyond the despairing lunge of Harry Maguire and into the top corner.

Half-time: Send for the cavalry

United are fortunate to be only 1-0 down, Como also having seen a penalty appeal turned down and Senne Lammens deny Tasos Douvikas. Carrick has seen enough and throws on Amad Diallo and Carlos Baleba for Cunha and Andrey Santos.

49 mins: 2-0

The visitors, however, concede almost immediately again when Como carve them apart with embarrassing ease, a flowing move ending when Paz feeds Douvikas, who thumps the ball past Lammens.

57 mins: 3-0

The worst is yet to come as Baleba inexplicably allows himself to be dispossessed just inside his own half by Paz, who is then allowed to bear down on goal unchallenged before finishing coolly.

67 mins: Fernandes hauled off

United’s malaise is summed up when Carrick takes off captain Bruno Fernandes for Joshua Zirkzee. Fernandes, who has been ineffective, looks less than pleased.

76 mins: 4-0

Como are rampant and Jacobo Ramón gets in on the act by powering home a header completely unmarked.

90+1 mins: 4-1... but it’s no consolation

Zirkzee scores a stoppage-time goal as United avoid their first 4-0 Champions League defeat since they were beaten by Barcelona in 1994.

Post-match: What the TNT Sports pundits said

“After a performance like this, probably people will raise the same questions like every time: are those the players who can compete for United at the highest stage? Is that the right manager? Are we going in the right way? Of course, after games like this, everybody will say, ‘No’. We need more players; we need better players. It was like watching men against kids.”

“So, where the criticism comes to the director of football, I think it’s fair in that you’re trying to get rid of players on long contracts. But, if nobody wants them, it’s difficult to get rid of them. They have to win at the weekend now [at home to Bournemouth]; it’s as simple as that.”