How Manchester United's historic display of ineptitude exposed record-breaking lows

The stage was grand, the lights were ablaze, and yet, throughout the match, it seemed as though nobody truly believed that Manchester United had any chance of beating Bayern Munich at home to keep their Champions League dreams alive. And that, perhaps, was the most tragic aspect of it all.

United's storied reputation in this tournament was built upon competence, arrogance and defiance, even in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds. However, on Tuesday night, none of these qualities were evident. In fact, there was a noticeable void.

Where was the sense of urgency? Where was the fire? Where was the fighting spirit? The complete absence of such driving forces left enraged fans booing the team off the pitch at the final whistle. These disheartening sounds have regrettably become all too familiar after each and every woeful performance delivered by United this season.

The only silver lining is that United's performance this time around was not abysmal. They were not completely overwhelmed by the German champions. However, it was clear that they fell well short of the required standard. It was a night where they struggled to make any impact on a Bayern squad that was operating within their comfort zone. The vast gap between United and the top echelons of European football was glaringly inescapable.

Bayern, having already secured their place in the knockout stage, understandably lacked desire and heart. Nevertheless, they made sure not to be caught off guard by such a woeful United side, as they found the back of the net in the 70th minute. Unsurprisingly, England captain Harry Kane played a role, delicately setting up Kingsley Coman, who easily outmaneuvered United goalkeeper Andre Onana.

The 1-0 defeat dealt a devastating blow to United, resulting in their early exit from European competition. They finished at the bottom of the table, managing a mere four points from their six matches. To add insult to injury, the coveted second place they had their sights on was snatched by Copenhagen FC, a club operating with a fraction of United's financial resources. 

This campaign will forever be etched in history as United's worst in the Champions League. Never before had they accumulated fewer than six points in the group stage. They also became the first English team to finish at the bottom of their group on two separate occasions, with the first instance occurring during the 2005-06 season. Moreover, their defense proved alarmingly leaky, conceding a staggering 15 goals, surpassing the worst record for any Premier League team in a Champions League group stage.

In truth, the damage had already been inflicted before their decisive clash with Bayern. They let slip their lead not once, but twice, against Galatasaray at home and Copenhagen away, leading to defeats. They repeated this lamentable pattern by relinquishing a two-goal advantage to settle for a draw against Galatasaray in Türkiye.

The numbers paint a grim picture. Despite scoring three goals in each away fixture, they only managed to secure a single point. In their crucial match on Tuesday, they mustered just one shot on target, a feeble display in a game they needed to win. Moreover, they have been plagued by wretched individual errors, vulnerability, and a lack of direction. These factors have all contributed to their downfall.

Ironically, United's catastrophic departure from Europe may pose a challenge to the club's prospects of qualifying for the Champions League in the following season. There is a possibility that the 2024/25 edition of the tournament will expand to include five Premier League teams, but this outcome hinges on the overall performance of English clubs in Europe during the current campaign.

As United strive to be mentioned in the same breath as football royalties like Bayern, Real Madrid and Barcelona, the harsh reality is that they can no longer be considered among Europe's elite. Their recent track record speaks volumes, with four eliminations from the Champions League group stage in their last nine attempts.

Their next challenge is a daunting trip to face Liverpool this weekend. Unfortunately, United will be without key players like Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw due to injuries, while captain Bruno Fernandes is set to serve a suspension. United will give their all to avoid a repeat of last season's notorious 7-0 humiliation, but following their 3-0 loss to Bournemouth and their meek surrender to Bayern, it's only natural for United fans to harbor concerns that the worst may be yet to come.