Manchester United travel to Northampton Town knowing that a fourth consecutive defeat would plunge their season into crisis. Since Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement in 2013, the club has endured several low points under David Moyes, Louis van Gaal, and now Jose Mourinho.
Many point to March 2014 as the deepest low, when United lost 3-0 at home to Liverpool and then 3-0 to Manchester City within nine days. The defeats highlighted the club's dramatic fall from dominance. Under Moyes, United finished seventh, and the fear factor at Old Trafford had evaporated.
Others cite the 5-3 defeat at Leicester City in September 2014 under Van Gaal, where United capitulated after leading 3-1. That result led to Van Gaal becoming overly conservative, stifling the flair of players like Angel Di Maria.
The 4-0 League Cup loss to MK Dons in August 2014 is also remembered as a humiliating moment for Van Gaal's side, exposing their vulnerability against lower-league opposition.
Despite spending heavily, Van Gaal's tenure was seen by some as worse than Moyes's, given the resources available. The constant theme has been a failure to recapture the identity and winning mentality that defined the Ferguson era.
