Ashley Young trudged off disappointed and deflated after Manchester United lost at bitter rivals Liverpool.
The Premier League table does not make for pretty reading for those connected to the Old Trafford giants, leading pressure to mount on under-fire manager Jose Mourinho.
Sunday's 3-1 loss at Liverpool leaves United 19 points behind the league-leading Reds after just 17 matches, along with an 11-point gap to the top-four.
17 down. 21 to go#PL pic.twitter.com/h2HO647ktj — Premier League (@premierleague) December 17, 2018
Jesse Lingard had cancelled out Sadio Mane's opener at Anfield, only for second-half super-sub Xherdan Shaqiri's deflected brace to leave the visitors reeling.
"It's disappointing," United captain Young said, looking understandably pained. "I don't think there's much more we can say.
"Obviously there's two deflections but at times when we got back into the game at 1-1, I think we could have gone on to win the game.
"But it wasn't meant to be and, like I say, it's disappointing."
Liverpool are 19 points ahead of Man Utd – their biggest ever lead after the first 17 matches of the #PL#LIVMUN pic.twitter.com/IIDgenKuVk — Premier League (@premierleague) December 17, 2018
Nursing the wounds of a chastening loss, Young was monosyllabic straight after United's latest disappointment.
"It is always disappointing to obviously concede," he said. "I think we were containing them. There was a lot of pressure obviously in the second half, which we knew (would come).
"I didn't think they were going to score, then obviously the two deflected goals, you know, it deflates us and obviously they go on to win the game.
"Like I say, it's definitely a disappointment."
Put to Young that United had been doing pretty well, he told MUTV: "Yeah, especially in the first half.
We've begun to apply some pressure in the last few minutes: 🔺 @Youngy18's superb cross was headed away with @Fellaini waiting to pounce🔺 From the corner, the ball just wouldn't drop quickly enough for @MarcusRashford to strike#MUFC #LIVMUN pic.twitter.com/MZpLruwpa3 — Manchester United (@ManUtd) December 16, 2018
"Obviously after their goal we got ourselves back into the game and I think for large parts we had time and space on the ball to play.
"I think at times we done that, I think we could have done that even more. But, like I say, we've come off the pitch, we've lost the game, so we're disappointed in there."
Young was quick to express thanks to United's travelling hordes at Anfield – supporters that have a long trip to Cardiff to come on Saturday as Mourinho's men look for a much-needed win.
Including cup games for our #MUAcademy Under-23s and Under-18s, plus our trip to Cardiff on Saturday... — Manchester United (@ManUtd) December 17, 2018
"They're fantastic and they have been all season," he said of the fans. "Obviously for them it's disappointing as well as for us.
"Like we say, we've got to try and take the positives out of the game and be ready for the next game.
"When you lose a game, there's obviously disappointment and you want a game straight away.
"Obviously we have to wait a week so we've got to prepare for that game and hopefully go there and get the three points."
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