Man United sleepwalking towards relegation asks one question: Where is the rage?

As Michael Carrick walked into the press room at Stamford Bridge, with many waiting to hear whether he might actually muster some fire, there was also an eye on results elsewhere: a few permutations could have meant England’s most successful club dropped into the relegation zone at this stage of the season – now a quarter in – for the first time since 1986.

That alone is a stark reality, which would be a line in the sand in any other setting.

It barely needs to be said that moment in 1986 was of course when United appointed Sir Alex Ferguson. The rest is history, but this is the present and there is no sign of any salvation – from anywhere.

Carrick was asked whether there was any stigma for this club to be in the relegation zone, and remarkably said “no, not for me”.

You could say that was just of a piece with a bafflingly passive demeanour amid the club’s worst crisis since the actual last relegation season of 1973-74.

Carrick looked a beaten man presiding over a beaten team.

And consequently, it has gradually started to look like a team that can actually get relegated, too. It all looks that rotten, that broken, that structurally dysfunctional.

Chelsea didn’t even have to be good in this 2-0 win, as witnessed in the opening goal. Morgan Rogers was allowed to run in a straight line through the defensive structure of the United team. It was remarkable to see that at this level of football.

There was then the entire Lisandro Martinez episode, the defender getting a second booking for the match-settling penalty after what must have been one of the most dismal 10 minutes for a player of that level in modern Premier League history.

As Carrick was further pressed on what being in the relegation zone might actually mean, he merely went on: “You can move up the league quite quickly if you win football matches.”

Except, United don’t look like doing that any time soon. They haven’t won in nine, their worst run since 1988.

While there’s been a lot of focus on Carrick’s demeanour and how a measured approach that used to be considered a strength now looks a weakness, it’s hard to see how there couldn’t be more fury at this.

To paraphrase a line that has become a meme, this is Manchester United in a relegation battle we’re talking about. One of their greatest ever servants should be furious. What standards are these? What would he have to lose by blasting Martinez at this point?

Such a display makes Carrick look like what many feel he is: a place-holder. United’s leadership haven’t had the decisiveness or maybe football intelligence to make the call to sack him. And yet for all that Carrick is the focus, and will inevitably be the one to lose his job from all this, there is of course a much wider story.

Carrick survived talks with United’s hierarchy earlier this week and was given time to turn their season around (Reuters)

It could be heard in the boos for Jason Wilcox and Omar Berrada as they departed Stamford Bridge, and the constant singing against the Glazers and Sir Jim Ratcliffe, with demands for them to take their planned new stadium with them.

That narrative was acutely evident in the story of the game.

Because, for all the fair criticisms about Carrick and the reality that he hadn’t proved himself good enough for the job, he did get this one right. United’s game plan was spot on.

They were dominating Chelsea in the first half, and if any one of those chances had gone in they could instead have been talking about a convincing lead and that badly-needed first win back.

But what actually happened?

As is often the case when teams are in this situation, such a rush can lead to frustration. There’s that edginess that means you don’t take chances, despite taking the challenge on.

Both the recalled captain Bruno Fernandes and Amad Diallo, in particular, should have scored.

Amad Diallo missed a clear opening with the game at 0-0 but blazed his shot over the bar (Reuters)

And, from that, it’s not just that your chance has gone. It’s that, when you’re in this situation, when it goes, it really goes.

As the players came out for the second half, there was already the foreboding sense they’d let Chelsea off. They then did more than that.

As the brilliant Romeo Lavia again won the ball in the 50th minute, it was fed to Rogers… who kept going. Failing to stop him were a number of players who either shouldn’t still be at the club, or wouldn’t have been signed in another era.

There was then Rogers himself. As a big English talent going for a “modest” £117m, he would have been exactly the kind of player United signed in the past. Right now, though, they are inevitably feeling the long effects of an ownership that has saddled the club with so much debt.

Ratcliffe’s minority stake was supposed to at least allow the club the football attention it required, but virtually every decision has been wrong.

That goes from the prevarication over Erik ten Hag two years ago to similar indecision now, as well as a squad that still doesn’t look like what a Manchester United squad should.

Man Utd players approach away fans after the final whistle (Reuters)

As they toiled for a goal, they were left to bring on poor Joshua Zirkzee.

So, while it is now obvious Carrick himself needs to be changed because this is broken, can anyone trust this leadership to take the right decision?

Who could work well in this structure?

While the squad could obviously do with the fire and discipline of Antonio Conte, would his customary blow-up come even sooner because of how bad this all is? Could he really work in this situation?

And so, for now, all that was left was another performance of a different kind.

Carrick went to the away fans, and of course received the reception his legacy deserves.

The players were this time greeted a touch more positively, but the problem by now it seems so ritualistic.

Carrick has said he is still looking forward to getting his team ready for Tuesday’s match against Roma (Reuters)

A kind of penance as everyone else still feels so chastened.

“I’m just looking forward to getting the team ready,” Carrick was left to say of Tuesday’s Champions League match against Roma.

Everyone is now waiting to see whether he even gets that chance; whether there’s any plan.

Because, although United are hovering just above the bottom three, in 17th, this looks nowhere near rock bottom.