The disconnect between Cristiano Ronaldo and his Manchester United teammates couldn't have been starker. While most of his colleagues tentatively approached the away end at Brentford, the forward took a step or two in that direction before ignoring orders to go over, turning on his heels and heading for the tunnel.
Ronaldo's hand gestures made it clear he wanted no part of the invective that was spewing back from the United end towards a squad that continues to plumb new depths.
It was a familiar scene at the end of last season. At the Amex Stadium in May, Ronaldo was spared the indignation of a furious away end after another 4-0 defeat to a mid-table team.
That day he left the stadium on his own. READ MORE: The five-step plan to turn season around On the pitch, Ronaldo isn't United's biggest problem at the moment, but the arguments against a separation this summer are becoming increasingly thin on the ground.