Manchester United suffered a humbling 3-0 defeat at home to Newcastle United in the League Cup's fourth round on Wednesday, marking a bleak chapter in their tumultuous season.
Erik ten Hag, the manager of Manchester United, appeared visibly stunned as the crowd jeered his team off the field. The Dutchman is facing immense pressure following their 3-0 loss to Manchester City at Old Trafford last Sunday.
"We acknowledge that our performance was subpar," ten Hag told Sky Sports. "We must take ownership of our shortcomings, and I, personally, must assume responsibility for them. Our display fell short of expectations, and I extend my apologies to the fans."
Revisiting this year's final at Wembley, where Manchester United triumphed with a 2-0 victory, Newcastle seized a 2-0 lead at halftime, with goals courtesy of Miguel Almiron and Lewis Hall. They further solidified their advantage through Joe Willock, securing their place in the quarterfinals.
Newcastle broke the deadlock when Almiron found the net in the 28th minute, exploiting a turnover by Tino Livramento and placing the ball beyond goalkeeper Andre Onana's reach.
Hall added a second goal eight minutes later, volleying into the far corner after a mishandled clearance. The agony for the home supporters continued when Willock deftly penetrated the defense and slotted his shot into the bottom corner around the hour mark.
"The performance displayed the unity and togetherness within our group," Eddie Howe, manager of the Magpies, remarked. "Securing goals at this challenging venue, at the times we did, and the overall quality of our performance are sources of great satisfaction."
Manchester United has now suffered losses in eight of their last 15 matches across all competitions, with five of those defeats transpiring in their first ten home matches, a record unseen since the 1930-31 season. Additionally, they have incurred five losses in their initial 10 Premier League fixtures, a historical first.
West Ham United advanced by eliminating Arsenal with a 3-1 victory, courtesy of goals by Mohammed Kudus and Jarrod Bowen, in addition to an own goal by defender Ben White, all transpiring at the London Stadium.
Mikel Arteta, Arsenal's manager, took responsibility for the disappointing performance and expressed his disappointment, telling Sky Sports: "Our performance was inadequate. We failed to compete at the required level. Overall, we fell far short of the standards we needed to uphold."
Martin Odegaard scored a late consolation goal for the visitors in the 96th minute, but it proved insufficient to alter the outcome.
Cody Gakpo and Darwin Nunez were the scorers who propelled Liverpool to a 2-1 victory over Bournemouth, securing their place in the quarterfinals.
Nunez's goal marked his third in his last three appearances for the Reds.
Chelsea achieved a 2-0 victory over Blackburn Rovers, Everton ousted Burnley with a commanding 3-0 win, and Fulham triumphed over Championship side Ipswich Town with a 3-1 scoreline.
League One's Port Vale, who secured a 1-0 victory over Mansfield Town on Tuesday, stand as the lowest-ranked team still in contention. Championship side Middlesbrough also progressed to the last eight, clinching a 3-2 win over Exeter City.