The former Everton boss returned to Goodison Park to see his side humiliated at the hands of Roberto Martinez's men, as the champions collapsed yet again this term
How embarrassing from Manchester United. How feeble. How hopeless. Just how? How on Earth has it got quite this bad?
Champions in name for only a fortnight longer, it will be 12 months on Tuesday since this team picked up title No.20 against Aston Villa at Old Trafford. A year is a long time in football.
This collapse from David Moyes' side against Everton, the one team over any you thought he could summon a semblance of fighting spirit against, was par for the troubled course this term. United never got close to their hosts.
And what of those hosts, who have confirmed beyond any doubt that this United side are the worst from the north west in this division, and by some distance too. Roberto Martinez may not quite reach Champions League football this season, but he is building a squad with the ability to compete for it time and again. This was outstanding stuff from Everton. Their manager described it as "special". You couldn't argue otherwise.
Yet the most frightening thing for those at Old Trafford is that it never really looked in doubt. From the boos that greeted Moyes as he walked out to Z Cars before kick off to his walk back down the tunnel he used to call his own at full time, this was always Everton's day.
Their first league double over United in 44 years. The first season ever that United have lost all four games against their Merseyside rivals. Two more ignominious records broken for Moyes. Stick them on the bill with the rest.
After the final whistle the United boss "couldn't fault" how his team had played, so let me. Perhaps only David de Gea and Juan Mata will emerge from this with an ounce of credit to their names. For the rest it was inexcusably poor.
Basic errors in defence permeated through to a wholly disinterested midfield which were outfought and outthought by the home side. Wayne Rooney, who threatened only once - the shin of James McCarthy, was proof that the most talented player on the pitch can also be the worst.
Martinez, who spoke highly of his opponents before and after the game, admitted he expected a fightback from United when his side went 2-0 up after Kevin Mirallas exploited Alex Buttner's pitiful attempt at an offside trap. The fight never came. The towel had long been thrown in on this game, this season.
Surely that is the least you would expect from Manchester United. Two decades of never saying die for this football club are long over and the foundations upon which they became the most formidable club in the country are crumbling.
And so again to that question of how, and where United go from here. With only four games to go, it can't get any worse. This season can't end soon enough.
source: goal.com
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