Owners the Glazer family were encouraged to “sell United and go home” and director of football Jason Wilcox was again a repeated target of angry songs after overseeing a summer transfer window that has left the team struggling badly in the Premier League and in Europe.

Last weekend, following a 3-0 defeat at home to Bournemouth, United’s fans showed their support for under-pressure boss Michael Carrick but the players were booed off the Old Trafford pitch.

Lisandro Martinez’s red card in the second half at Stamford Bridge arguably opened him up for criticism, but there was no hint of those who had travelled from Manchester turning on the team.

This time, despite a third defeat in a row and now nine consecutive winless matches, travelling supporters in west London applauded the players and Carrick after the match.

Defeat came after Morgan Rogers scored a wonder goal and Cole Palmer converted a penalty conceded by Martinez.