Simon Stone
BBC Sport’s chief football news reporter at Old Trafford

Image source, Getty Images

Could life at Manchester United get any more dispiriting?

They have just lost 3-0 at home to “little” Bournemouth, as described by Cherries owner Bill Foley, for the second season running, a result that means they will spend Christmas 13th in the table. It is the first time they have been in the bottom half at this stage since the pre-Premier League days.

Their fans – who booed Ruben Amorim’s team off at the final whistle – are so upset at the imposition of a ticket price rise to a flat £66 with no concessions that they are joining forces with fellow supporters at bitter rivals Liverpool to protest when the two sides meet at Anfield on 5 January.

Just as Amorim was telling the media he felt fans were “tired” in his post-match press conference, a leak from the ceiling led to water running onto journalists on the front row, forcing one of them to move.

While many fans will be quite happy to learn of journalists covering their club getting a soaking, as a public farce it takes some beating.