Erik ten Hag's tenure at Manchester United ended on a sour note even after the final whistle of his last game in charge.
The Dutchman could soon be a tricky trivia question: who was the first manager to hold a pre-match press conference for a game he wouldn't oversee due to being axed?
Following Ten Hag's post-match analysis at the London Stadium, United conducted their pre-match presser for Wednesday's League Cup clash with Leicester City. Less than a day later, Ten Hag's dismissal was officially announced by the club.
In one of his final media interactions, Ten Hag was queried: "You won this competition a couple of years ago, you've taken great pride in winning trophies in both seasons, if you win a trophy in a third season does that make the season a success again for you?"
His response was unequivocal: "Definitely. It is about trophies, I don't want to go into this debate again. There are not so many trophies you can win, if you win a trophy in top football, that is the most important, that is what the fans expect, what we expect - to win a trophy.
"We have had five opportunities and one we missed, that was the Community Shield. There are still four to go."
However, those chances will no longer include Ten Hag.
He also contended that United's 14th position in the Premier League didn't truly represent their performance level. With eight goals scored and eleven conceded in nine matches, United's goal difference stood at minus three.
They've already suffered four defeats, and their average points tally per match was a key factor in the decision to potentially make Ten Hag the earliest in-season United managerial casualty since World War II.
"We have to do better, that is the ranking," Ten Hag conceded. "But I will tell them the ranking is not reflecting our performances and our levels.
"But at the end of the season we have to get this right. It is not easy when you have so many setbacks at the start of the season and to overcome this, but we have to fight back.
"It will always help when you have a good start because that gives motivation, gives belief, the confidence will grow. We are now in the process on the other side where we are disappointed and we have to deal with setbacks and now we have to find the fuel from setbacks and disappointments."
