Crystal Palace leapfrogged Manchester United in the Premier League with a 2-0 win at Old Trafford.
Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta scored two second-half goals to prevent United from getting back-to-back Premier League wins for the first time this season.
Ruben Amorim's afternoon was made even worse when Lisandro Martinez went off with a serious knee injury.
The Red Devils began the match with great intensity and came close to opening the scoring within the first ten minutes.
Kobbie Mainoo, who was operating as a false nine, had former United goalkeeper Dean Henderson scrambling across his goal with his effort hitting the post.
However, after a dominant 20 minutes, the hosts were unable to find the breakthrough and subsequently the visitors began to grow into the game.
Here are the key takeaways from the contest.
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Mainoo false nine experiment fails
Following some impressive displays in the number ten position in recent matches, there was some surprise when the team sheet came out and it was revealed that Mainoo would be playing as the number nine. There was some speculation that it was in fact captain Bruno Fernandes leading the line, however it was the teenager that was selected as the number nine.
Mainoo began the game brightly in this role and impacted the match more than his teammates Joshua Zirkzee and Rasmus Hojlund have in recent weeks. The England international combined well with the in-form Amad Diallo and almost opened the scoring.
His scuffed strike crashed off the post before the visitors cleared their lines. However, his impact faded over the course of the match and the hosts lacked the presence of a natural number nine.
Ultimately, this tactical tweak will go down as a failure. The flaws of Mainoo operating as a nine were evident in the first half, when Alejandro Garancho put in a superb cross into the six-yard-area where no-one in red was attacking.
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Goalscoring troubles continue
The Red Devils have failed to score in nine of their 24 league matches this season, with only Everton (12) and Southampton (10) having a worse record in the Premier League. The lack of goals is more of a concern than the defensive fragilities for Amorim, who is yet to find a solution to this goalscoring crisis.
The fact that Mainoo was preferred to summer signing Zirkzee and £72m striker Hojlund, highlights just how much of an issue this is for the Reds. Neither striker has any kind of confidence or form with the pair typically outmuscled by opposition defences.
United's lack of creativity isn't helping the issue, as Amorim's side rarely create clear-cut opportunities for their number nine. Furthermore, in this back-five system, Diogo Dalot and Noussair Mazraoui offer no final third threat, meaning the team only ever has three attackers at most on the pitch.
It appears that there isn't a solution to this problem in Amorim's current squad and therefore the club may need to become more active on deadline day to bring in a forward.
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Martinez injury worry
During the second half, things only got worse for the hosts. Martinez, the club's most consistent performer in recent weeks, landed awkwardly with his knee twisting in an unnatural manner.
The defender immediately asked to be taken off and was in tears as he left the pitch on a stretcher. Martinez has had lengthy spells on the sidelines during his time in Manchester.
This blow comes 12 months after he sprained the medial collateral ligament in his knee against West Ham. In his first season at the club, he suffered a similar injury where he was ruled out for the rest of the season after leaving the field against Sevilla in the UEFA Europa League.
The Old Trafford faithful will now nervously wait for the results of his scan with murmurs suggesting he could be ruled out for the season yet again.
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Reinforcements needed on deadline day
Man United have already signed two players in the winter transfer market. The club unveiled both Patrick Dorgu and Ayden Heaven to the home fans before their match with Palace, although the latter is expected to be placed in the academy and gradually integrated into the first-team setup.
However, the club has also loaned out both Marcus Rashford and Antony, which has left United short of options in the final third. Amorim has made it clear that the club won't panic in the transfer window with the new sporting team looking to avoid past recruitment mistakes, however, it is clear that he needs backing on deadline day.
Time is running out for the Reds to make signings with the likes of Christopher Nkunku and Mathys Tel, who have been touted to join the club on a loan basis, becoming more unattainable as the hours pass by.
