Watford thrash Manchester United to leave Ole Gunnar Solskjaer on the brink

Red Devils fall to disastrous 4-1 defeat at Vicarage Road that puts Norwegian manager under intense pressure

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer after his team were beaten 4-1 at Watford in the Premier League on Saturday, November 20. PA

Joao Pedro scores Watford's third goal at Vicarage Road. PA

Watford's Tom Cleverley is fouled by Harry Maguire that saw the United defender shown a second yellow card. Getty

Dejected United defender Harry Maguire during the defeat at Watford. AFP

United's Donny van de Beek celebrates after scoring. PA

Watford manager Claudio Ranieri. PA

Watford's Emmanuel Dennis celebrates after Joshua King scored the opening goal. AP

Ismaila Sarr scores Watford's second goal. Getty

Manchester United players after Watford's fourth goal. Reuters

Watford's Joshua King celebrates after scoring. AP

United's Cristiano Ronaldo and Bruno Fernandes. Reuters

Ismaila Sarr sees his penalty saved by United goalkeeper David De Gea. Getty

Watford's Emmanuel Dennis, left, and Adam Masina after the first goal. EPA

United's Harry Maguire is shown his first yellow card. AFP

Cristiano Ronaldo of Manchester United. Getty

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was left clinging to his job after his team collapsed to a 4-1 defeat at Watford in the Premier League on Saturday.

United travelled to Vicarage Road having lost four of their last six Premier League games before the international break and this heavy defeat only piled more pressure on the beleaguered Norwegian.

They were outfought and out-thought by Claudio Ranieri's Watford, who came into the match after losing four out of their past five league matches themselves.

The defeat leaves United down in seventh place, 12 points behind leaders Chelsea. Watford are in 16th place, four points clear of the bottom three.

The Hornets should have been ahead early on when Scott McTominay bundled King over to concede a penalty.

Ismaila Sarr's kick was saved by De Gea before Kiko Femenia turned in the rebound, but the kick had to be re-taken due to encroachment. The Spaniard then saved Sarr's second effort.

Watford, though, dominated the first half and thoroughly deserved their two-goal lead at half-time, courtesy of goals from Joshua King and Sarr.

The visitors pulled a goal back early in the second half through substitute Donny van de Beek but could not find an equaliser and captain Harry Maguire was sent off with just over 20 minutes to go.

Substitute Joao Pedro finished off United's hopes with a late third and Emmanuel Dennis rubbed salt into Solskjaer's wounds, making it 4-1.

“There's not much to say — it was embarrassing to see Man United play like we did today,” said De Gea after the match. It's not acceptable — the way we were playing and doing things. It's easy to blame the manager or the staff but sometimes it's the players. We need to show much more than we are doing.

“Embarrassing first half — we could've conceded four goals in 45 minutes. It was hard to watch the team playing today — it was nightmare after nightmare.

“We are trying to give our best and fight for the team but for sure something is very wrong. You can see in the games — it's very low level, very poor. Sorry to the fans, once again.

“The results are not good enough, we know that. We’ve gone 30 games unbeaten away from home and now we’ve lost two on the bounce and conceded four goals in both of them, so of course something’s wrong.”

Solkskjaer admitted there was no excuses for such a performance and also apologised to supporters. “I feel for the fans and I feel the same as them – we’re embarrassed by losing the way we do," he said.

“We know we are in a very bad run and a bad situation, but that’s football and I know they’ll support whoever is on the pitch every day, and sometimes you’ve got to say sorry.”

The horror afternoon for United was summed up when Maguire was sent-off after being shown two yellow cards in seven minutes - the second for a scissor-like challenge on Tom Cleverley.

The defender had come under criticism for his part in goals conceded in the 4-2 defeat at Leicester, the 5-0 home thrashing by Liverpool and the 2-0 loss to Manchester City in recent weeks.

Watford v Manchester United ratings: Dennis 10, King 8; Fernandes 3, Ronaldo 4

Player ratings from the match can be seen in the picture gallery below. To view the next image, click on the arrows or swipe if on a mobile device.

WATFORD RATINGS: Ben Foster: 6 - The 38-year-old was a spectator at times, but made a crucial save in the first-half to deny Rashford’s volley. Had an important ten minutes in the second-half , tipping Ronaldo’s chance over the bar when he was through on goal. Getty

Kiko Femenia: 7 - The full-back was often involved in an attacking sense, cutting the ball back from wide to set-up Sarr’s finish. He also scored a rebound from the first Sarr penalty, but was deemed to have encroached and forced a retake of the kick. Getty

Craig Cathcart: 6 - The Northern Irish defender made some vital interceptions, throwing himself in front of a shot to stop the away side scoring. However, he made a mistake for the goal, leaving Ronaldo free to head back across the box. Getty

Nicolas N’Koulou: 6 - Struggled after the break. The pace behind meant he found life difficult, with Ronaldo finding space twice, but he was denied by Foster and blasted over for the other. Taken off midway through the half. Getty

Adam Masina: 5 - The full-back struggled to deal with Sancho and Van de Beek at times in the second half, drifting between both and leaving the former free to put a cross in to pull a goal back. Getty

Moussa Sissoko: 7 - The Watford captain had a solid display, often dropping into the defensive line to create a back five. Made a key interception to deny Wan-Bissaka a cut-back to the edge of the box. Reuters

Ismaila Sarr: 6 - Misplaced passes, missed a penalty but also scored. Missed from the spot before it was retaken due to encroachment. The second penalty was poor and saved by De Gea. The forward made up for it with a finish across goal. AP

Imran Louza: 7 - In his first start for Watford since September, the midfielder had a great all-round game. He won the majority of his duels, making one great challenge to deny United breaking on the counter attack. AP

Tom Cleverley: 6 - Played King through on goal with a long kick downfield in the second-half. Also forced United to go down to ten, pressing Maguire and dispossessing him, before receiving a challenge that resulted in a second yellow. Reuters

Joshua King: 8 - The forward had a great game, linking with Dennis throughout to cause chaos for the United backline. This was only emphasised when the Norwegian international was played in by his teammate to score the opener. AP

Emmanuel Dennis: 10 - His link-up with King was crucial, setting the striker up with a cut-back on the left for the opener. He grabbed a second assist, playing in Pedro late on. Rounded out the performance with a goal of his own, hammering the ball in from the right. Getty

SUBS: William Troost-Ekong (On for Nkoulou 63’): 6 - The defender did a good job of helping keep Ronaldo quiet, denying the Portuguese forward any chances behind like he enjoyed with Nkoulou. Getty

Joao Pedro (On for Louza 77’): 8 - Played a neat dummy to lay in Femenia for a chance. He then secured the victory late on with a finish in the six-yard box for his first Premier League goal. Cucho Hernandez (On for Sarr 68’): 6 - The 22-year-old came on for the injured Sarr, but saw little of the ball as his side looked to see out the game. Getty

MANCHESTER UNITED RATINGS: David de Gea - 6 Saved the first poor penalty. And the second! Conceded four goals yet wasn’t the worst United player - yet again. Went down too slowly for Watford’s third. Looked resigned after Watford’s fourth and said the result was embarrassing after the match. Getty

Aaron Wan-Bissaka - 3. Headed the ball high into the air – and watched it go to an opponent to set up Watford’s first. He’s been bad for a long time, but he was really bad at Watford. Getty

Harry Maguire - 5. Struggled with direct runs but blocked a shot from King and was United’s best defender in the wretched first half. Booked, then booked again and sent off after being indecisive before clattering into Cleverley. Reuters

Victor Lindelof - 5. Not at the races in a United defence which looked so shambolically bad, so short of confidence, in the first half. Came too slowly towards Pedro for Watford’s third. AFP

Luke Shaw - 4. Peripheral. Such a good player last season. Nowhere near good this. It’s baffling how his levels have dropped off so much. United have conceded 15 league goals in their last five games. It’s dreadful. Getty

Nemanja Matic - 4. A rare start. Won four aerials but gave the ball away too often. Asleep for Watford’s fourth. Too slow on the most wretched afternoon as even Watford fans sang ‘Ole’s at the wheel’, laughing at the fortunes – or lack of them - of the manager. AFP

Scott McTominay - 4. Gave away the first penalty and was lucky to stay on the pitch since he stopped a direct attempt on goal. Booked for a foul too many after only 18 minutes. Touched the ball 39 times. Matic next to him had 98 touches. AP

Jadon Sancho - 5. Another who did next to nothing in the first half, but much better in the second. He made a super cross as part of United's goal for Ronaldo, then picked out Fernandes who shot wide after 55. Set up Ronaldo again on 76. AP

Bruno Fernandes - 3. Terrible ball high towards his own area which led to a penalty and the opening goal. His goals have stopped and his performances have dropped off. Pulled a shot far over the bar after 75 when he should have hit the target. Gave the ball away on 87. Reuters

Marcus Rashford - 4. Had United’s first attempt on goal after 30 minutes. Came off at half time after the worst half that Manchester United have played in recent memory. Getty

Cristiano Ronaldo - 4. Nothing in the first half, then unselfishly cushioned a header to set up Van de Beek for United’s first. Drew a save from Ben Foster on 57. AP

SUBS: Donny van de Beek (On for McTominay 46') - 7: He’d had only 15 minutes of league football so far this season. Headed United’s first, looked full of confidence as he set up Ronaldo. Then Maguire was sent off and United fell apart again. AP

Anthony Martial - On for Rashford 46') - 4: Did little. Done little for far too long for United. Getty

Diogo Dalot (On for Shaw 85') N/A. United conceded two late goals from his side of defence. Jesse Lingard - (On for Sancho 90 +1'). N/A. PA