Manchester United's relegation nightmare is no longer unthinkable after defeat to Chelsea in Premier League

"Just in case anyone was in any doubt, they are in a relegation battle." That was Ally McCoist's view before Manchester United arrived in London on Saturday. It is unlikely to have changed.

The Championship does not beckon any team after nine games, of course. United are one win off 11th, while five points would lift them to the fringe of the European places. With better finishing, they could have picked off Chelsea and eased the pressure for at least a few days. These are not desperate times just yet, but the R-word must now be taken seriously.

Someone needs to galvanise this club. That person could yet be Carrick, who has the fans - or at least the most vocal of those in the stadium - on side. For long stretches at Stamford Bridge, the players looked bought into his gameplan too.

And then came the familiar self-destruct button.

Morgan Rogers, seemingly doused in defender-repellent, drifted through the United midfield and then the defence to score. Barely 10 minutes later, a moment of madness from Lisandro Martinez left United two down and a player light.

That they did not completely fold with 10 men is mildly encouraging, but for a club of United's stature, it is only scraps to cling to. There is still time to salvage this season, and based on this performance, time for Carrick too. But whether the club's hierarchy decide to stick with their former midfielder or not, they can no longer dodge the horrible, mounting reality: United are sleepwalking into a relegation battle.

The phrase "Manchester United of the Championship" still sounds like sick fiction. But after Tottenham Hotspur were dragged right to the final day last season, United would be monumentally foolish not to take the threat seriously.

October 13: Lisandro Martinez publicly fires off at the club's hierarchy, laying bare the friction behind the scenes.

October 31: Lisandro Martinez concedes a needless penalty and gets himself sent off at Stamford Bridge.

Look, everyone makes mistakes. Maybe Martinez did not mean to clobber Wesley Fofana quite so aggressively, even if the replays serve the prosecution, not the defence. But if you are going to pop your head above the parapet, it is probably best not to immediately sabotage your team on the pitch.

Carrick insisted he did not feel let-down by Martinez after his red card, though he did not acknowledge the Argentine as he trudged past toward an early bath.

There was certainly no sympathy spared in the TNT Sports commentary box, where McCoist took aim at the World Cup winner.

"I've got that down as ridiculous defending," he fumed. "You're not even wrong side, you're not any side. You're just marching right across and jumping into him. That's a penalty. It's unacceptable. That is absolutely crazy. He's let everybody down."

Martinez has never been one to shy away from a fight. Unfortunately for United, this time he picked entirely the wrong one.

The spotlight was always going to beam down on United regardless of the scoreline, but the day ultimately belonged to Chelsea - and also partly to a teenager from Brazil.

Just a day after Xabi Alonso publicly ruled out a January loan move, Estevao Willian returned to the starting XI and delivered an eye-catching display. But for a millimetre-thin VAR offside call, he would have capped it off with a goal.

There is an inherent joy in watching him face up a defender, snap onto his left foot, and - with the crowd roaring for him to let fly - pull the trigger. The ability to consistently beat a man is a dying art, and the Stamford Bridge faithful clearly love it, granting his name by far the biggest cheer when the teams were read out.

And yet, frustrating questions persist. With the half-time whistle approaching and the game goalless, Estevao led a rapid counter-attack down the right. Four United defenders scrambled back - two rushing to shut down the Brazilian, two occupied by Pedro Neto. Rogers was completely unmarked on the edge of the box, screaming for the ball with his arms outstretched. But Estevao kept going, head down, eventually burrowing into a dead end and firing a tame shot straight at Senne Lammens from an improbable angle.

At just 19, he has plenty of time to sand down the rough edges. And if he can learn when to pass to a team-mate instead of chasing the Hollywood finish, he is going to be some prospect.

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