Roy Hodgson cut a forlorn figure as Crystal Palace slumped to a dispiriting 4-1 defeat at their fierce rivals Brighton in the Premier League.
Goals from Lewis Dunk, Jack Hinshelwood, Facundo Buonanotte and Joao Pedro once again left the future of the veteran Eagles boss under scrutiny.
Palace sacked their previous manager, Patrick Vieira, following a 1-0 defeat in this fixture last season so Hodgson, on a run of just four wins from 17 matches, could be on thin ice.
The 76-year-old is hamstrung by the absence of Eberechi Eze through injury while his other key man, Michael Olise, was only deemed fit enough for the bench.
Yet when Olise was sent on, at half-time, his side were already 3-0 down, and the winger lasted just eight minutes before pulling up again.
A late goal from Jean-Philippe Mateta could not mask the flaws in Hodgson’s ailing side, and the loss of captain Marc Guehi to a first-half knee injury just compounded a thoroughly rotten day for the Eagles.
If Brighton were suffering a hangover from their 4-0 midweek drubbing at Luton, they were over it in double quick time.
With their first attack and just two minutes in, Tariq Lamptey forced a corner down the left, Pascal Gross swung the ball in and Dunk gave Joachim Andersen a gentle shove as he rose above him to glance into the net.
Palace were perpetually living dangerously at the back and when a Pedro cross found Buonanotte, the shortest player on the pitch planted a header straight at Dean Henderson.
Their cause was not helped by the knee injury suffered by Guehi, who looked distraught when he limped off midway through the first half to be replaced by deadline-day signing Adam Wharton.
Guehi’s absence was keenly felt when 18-year-old Hinshelwood, not exactly the height of a basketball player himself, nipped in to head home a cross from Lamptey.
Just 86 seconds later it was three after debutant Wharton was dispossessed by Gross, who strolled forward before slipping in Buonanotte to score.
Dismayed Palace fans unfurled their anti-board banner, which first got an airing during the 5-0 hammering at Arsenal a fortnight ago.
It was easy to see where their frustrations lie. They had to wait until first-half stoppage time for their side’s first shot in anger, a long-range effort from Jefferson Lerma which was deflected wide.
When Olise, who was presumably not remotely fit, limped off, chants of ‘you don’t know what you’re doing’ emanated from the away end. The Brighton fans, never shy to revel in their rivals’ misfortune, responded with ‘Super Roy Hodgson’.
A brief, belated Palace flurry saw Mateta head home a cross from Andersen, but any hopes of a comeback were dashed when Pedro played a one-two with Danny Welbeck and slotted home to finish the Eagles off.
Michel hails 'incredible' season but admits Girona face battle to replicate success
Michel saluted an "incredible" season for Girona, but admitted it will be hard for his side to emulate their exploits next term.
The Blanquivermells have enjoyed a campaign to remember in LaLiga, topping the table on several occasions before eventually finishing third and securing Champions League qualification for the first time.
Michel's side capped the season with the biggest win in the club's history, as Artem Dovbyk scored a hat-trick in a 7-0 rout of already relegated Granada at Estadio Municipal de Montilivi.
Their final total of 81 points makes them one of only four teams to reach that tally in LaLiga's current format, along with Real Madrid, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid.
But Michel already has his sights set on next season, during which he knows Girona will have to work hard to repeat their success - especially with several players expected to leave the club.
"I'm feeling a bit down because good things are over," he told reporters. "We achieved something very important. The day-to-day of the season has been incredible.
"The counter resets to zero. We will start to fight for a great season to come, and that's what we will do from tomorrow onwards.
"The dynamics of football tell you that there won't be the same players or the same season. The problem is that many people will be missed.
"We are growing, and we have to continue taking steps forward. We have to lay the first stone, rest, recover, celebrate this great success and, from next week, start planning to put Girona as high as possible."
Simeone concedes 'it is not easy' for Atletico to compete with Madrid
Diego Simeone believes Atletico Madrid have fallen short of their objectives this season, but conceded it is difficult to compete with the "best team in the world" in Real Madrid.
Although they are set for a fourth-place finish in LaLiga, Los Rojiblancos are 21 points adrift of Carlo Ancelotti's newly crowned champions.
Atleti fell to Borussia Dortmund following a 5-4 aggregate defeat in the Champions League quarter-finals, while they were soundly beaten by Athletic Club in the Copa del Rey semi-finals.
And as a third successive trophyless season comes to pass at the Metropolitano Stadium, Simeone admits his side could have done better.
"We have the responsibility to get into the Champions League every year. You can be left out, but you can also be champions," he told reporters ahead of Atletico's final LaLiga game of the campaign against Real Sociedad.
"But with Real Madrid, who are the best team in the world and will continue to be because they have rejuvenated the squad, it is not easy.
"We have to keep working at 120 per cent because 100 per cent is not enough, and 80 per cent is even less to be able to get closer to them, keeping in mind that those below us are also improving.
"We were close to the Copa del Rey final and were expecting to reach the semi-finals of the Champions League. We created the illusion of being in a possible final, and we weren't able to do it, so now we have to think about what comes next to improve things.
"I have had players who have allowed me to compete as we have done since I arrived, and a coaching staff where everyone who has walked this path has given maximum effort. There is always room for improvement and growth."
Under-pressure Ten Hag claims Ratcliffe wants him to stay at Man Utd
Erik ten Hag has claimed Manchester United's new part-owner Jim Ratcliffe has told him he wants the Dutchman to stay at Old Trafford.
Reports on Friday suggested Ratcliffe, who now runs the footballing operations at United following INEOS' 27.7 per cent purchase of the club, had decided to sack Ten Hag regardless of the result of Saturday's FA Cup final, with the Red Devils taking on Manchester City.
United finished eighth, their worst-ever Premier League finish, this season, with Ten Hag under increasing scrutiny.
However, while hitting out at his critics in an interview with Dutch publication Voetbal International, Ten Hag claimed to have the backing of INEOS.
"INEOS told me that they want to change everything and that they want to rebuild with me," he said.
"This is what they told me directly."
Former Ajax boss Ten Hag also defended his tenure at United so far.
"United won the league for the last time in 2013, 11 years ago. But still they expect us to win every game while competing at the top. This club is not ready for that," he said.
"We were supposed to start building something and we made the first steps last year, but then you find out how big this club is and that nobody is ever satisfied.
"Within the club people were satisfied, but outside the club there was noise, [people] saying I won only the EFL Cup, lost the FA Cup final and finished third.
"Well, then you have no sense of reality. Other clubs had a much better squad."
Ten Hag also suggested that some pundits in England see United as "easy pray".
He added: "It's the biggest club in England and possibly in the world. The club is either loved or hated, there is no in-between.
"So when things go bad, they all start talking and talking with very big words. All this negativity from these so-called experts who don't have the capability to analyse something with facts, but who prefer to attack people to make themselves look better.
"And these same people were the ones who gave me a pat on the back last year. Last year I was able to walk on water, this year I am the worst manager in the Premier League?"
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