The boos that echoed round Old Trafford on Wednesday have become a familiar sound at Manchester United in recent years. For Michael Carrick, though, it was something new after a whirlwind start to life as head coach that had briefly lifted the mood around the club.
Carrick's stand-in spell last season, taking over from the sacked Ruben Amorim, went well enough that he was handed a long-term contract and the job of trying to end more than a decade of decline. High-profile wins and a return to the Champions League followed, building genuine optimism.
That feels a long way off now. United have lost three of their opening six games this season and were knocked out of the English League Cup. The club's most exciting academy prospect has asked to leave, fans have staged fresh protests against the ownership, and last week's defeat to fierce rival Manchester City was marred by a VAR error that cost United the match.
With the first international break of the season now here, the pressure is building on Carrick ahead of Sunday's Premier League game against winless Fulham.
"When we win, people say I'm doing a good job. If we don't win or don't get results, then a lot of it is on me. I accept that. I'm not hiding away from any of that," Carrick said.
As a player, Carrick knew mostly success, part of Alex Ferguson's last great United side that won the Champions League in 2008 and a full set of domestic trophies. He remains a popular figure with supporters, but that goodwill only stretches so far if results don't improve.
Carrick is the seventh permanent manager since Ferguson's retirement in 2013, following in the footsteps of high-profile names like Louis van Gaal and Jose Mourinho, none of whom managed to return United to the top of English football. The club hasn't won the Premier League since Ferguson's final season, and Carrick's side already sit eight points behind leaders Arsenal and Manchester City going into the next round of fixtures.
There's no suggestion his job is under threat, but Carrick is clearly aware of the weight of expectation at Old Trafford.
"It feels bad at the moment because we haven't had a great week, or two or three weeks, but that doesn't mean you can't win another game of football quickly," he said. "The players have shown before what they're capable of doing, and we have as a group. It doesn't count for much, it's always about what happens next. That's the ultimate challenge. We've certainly got to deal with this moment in a good way."
Key matchups
Tottenham's home game against Aston Villa carries plenty of pressure, with both sides still winless this season. Spurs spent big on new signings but have yet to score a Premier League goal and were also dumped out of the League Cup midweek. Villa, meanwhile, is still adjusting to the loss of several key players and has managed just one draw from four games. Elsewhere, defending champion Arsenal travels to Brighton, while Manchester City host Sunderland.
Players to watch
Liverpool fans will be hoping to see new signing Bradley Barcola make an impact following his move from Paris Saint-Germain, with Liverpool heading to Bournemouth on Sunday.
Out of action
Chelsea's Joao Pedro has withdrawn from Brazil's upcoming friendlies through injury.
Off the field
All eyes will be on VAR again this weekend. After last week's blunder saw Erling Haaland wrongly awarded the winning goal against Manchester United, VAR official Matt Donohue and assistant Blake Antrobus have been stood down for this round of fixtures. Pro Ref, the governing body for English soccer officials, will be keen to avoid further errors before the international break.
