Louis van Gaal’s miserable post-match interview said it all.
With journalists being widely briefed earlier in the week that the Dutchman had “two games to save job” it goes without saying that today’s early kick-off at the Britannia Stadium was a must win fixture.
Instead a disastrous start against Stoke saw United go 2-0 down withing half an hour as Bojan Krkic and Marko Arnautovic gave the home side a two-goal cushion that Manchester United rarely looked like threatening.
The defeat leaves United in sixth place, none points behind leaders Leicester City, who are facing Liverpool in Anfield.
It was the first time United have tasted St Stephen’s Day defeat since 2002, when a returning Roy Keane could not prevent a 3-1 defeat to Middlesbrough at the Riverside Stadium as Alen Boksic (2) and Szilard Nemeth scored for Boro.
Manchester United have lost their first boxing day fixture in 13 years, last losing to Middlesbrough in 2002. #MUFC pic.twitter.com/X24meWi96B
— Squawka (@Squawka) December 26, 2015
Since then, before today, United had won all 12 of their St Stephen’s Day fixtures (in 2009 they beat Hull 3-1 away on 27th December).
Even David Moyes managed to win, again in Hull, in 2013.
