Two Manchester United players' reactions to Chelsea goal suggest a teammate is in trouble

The Manchester United supporters were certain to turn up at Stamford Bridge. True to their Premier League form, the players did not.

Bruno Fernandes and Harry Maguire, the most senior United players, rounded on Alejandro Garnacho immediately after Marc Cucurella broke the deadlock in the 71st minute. Garnacho had been on the pitch for less than two minutes and he was about as much of an obstacle as a training cone for Reece James, who danced past him and whipped the ball in for his fellow full back.

Such indolence could have major ramifications for Garnacho. It felt telling he was benched for the second game running for the first time since early January. All signs now point towards Mason Mount retaining his place in Bilbao on Wednesday over a forward who lined up for the 14th successive match last week.

Ruben Amorim has agonised over pragmatic and proactive styles at United. In the Europa League, he has erred on the side of the former and it has served him well. This possible dress rehearsal could convince him not to dress up the United team against Tottenham Hotspur.

It would not be particularly palatable for United's supporters to have Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo, the matchwinners of last year's FA Cup final and academy products, sat in the dugout. But it is a means to an end and you can hardly blame Amorim with the season on the line.

He picked a team that could conceivably line up again in Bilbao. Fernandes and Maguire, two totemic players, combined for United's standout piece of play all night. The trouble was Maguire had strayed marginally offside for his striker's finish.

And so another record tumbles. United are eight games without a league win for the first time since January 1990. It is 18 league defeats for