Manchester United slumped to a third successive defeat – a crisis for a manager of the magnitude of Jose Mourinho and a club the size of United – as they were deservedly beaten by Watford.

United are already six points behind Premier League leaders Manchester City and there were alarming performances all over the pitch – not least from captain Wayne Rooney – in what was a raucous display from the home side.

Defeats by City and in the Europa League away at Feyenoord have now been followed by this, at times, shambolic loss.

The decisive goal came from substitute Camilo Zuniga who slammed home with a powerful first-time shot in what was his first touch – and 53 seconds - after coming on to record Watford’s first win over United in 30 years. Captain Troy Deeney added an injury-time penalty to cap it off.

It had seemed that 18-year-old Marcus Rashford would once again be United’s saviour as they rallied but Watford hit back.

There was controversy around Watford’s first-half goal with United claiming Anthony Martial was fouled in the build-up before Etienne Capoue scored. But it appeared Martial should not have been on the pitch anyway as he looked concussed from an earlier clash of heads involving Daryl Janmaat. He could not carry on after the goal and was led off holding his head, appearing groggy.

Watford made a blistering start; United were dishevelled and could have conceded three times in the opening 20 minutes. For the first a free-kick drifted over Paul Pogba and was met by Sebastian Prodl who headed back across goal and narrowly wide with Troy Deeney only just failing to get a touch.

Then Prodl was involved again with a routine long ball by the central defender spilled by David De Gea, who clattered into his Chris Smalling, recalled in place of Daley Blind to presumably give United more defensive power. It dropped to Odion Ighalo who, with the goal open, snatched at it first time, driving his shot wide. It was the miss of the season with Ighalo holding his head for a full 30 seconds in disbelief.

It continued although, this time, De Gea redeemed himself as he reached out a hand to push away a powerful, clever header by Deeney whose angled run to meet Janmaat’s cross had deceived Antonio Valencia.

And to think United had made a reasonably assured start. Would Watford pay for their profligacy? It seemed so when a smart pass by Rooney – one of the few things that worked for him - picked out Rashford who darted forward before cutting the ball back across the penalty area for the onrushing Zlatan Ibrahimovic who could only slam his shot into the side-netting.

Then Pogba, with a fine moment of quality, shifted his feet quickly 25 yards out and arced a right-footed shot that beat Heurelho Gomes and whacked back off the cross-bar.

But it was Watford who deservedly made the breakthrough with Martial hustled off the ball by Miguel Britos allowing Janmaat to then run on to calmly pull the ball back to Capoue whose first-time shot flew into the net. It was the midfielder’s fourth goal in five games.

The second-half drifted until Ibrahimovic played a one-two with Rashford and tried to pick out the teenager with his cross. The ball flew over Rashford’s head, rebounded off Valon Behrami and back into his path for him to side-foot home from close-range. It was United’s first shot on target and they pushed on, applying the pressure with Gomes wonderfully throwing himself to his right to turn away a Ibrahimovic header.

By now there was wave after wave of United attack but it was Watford who struck with substitute Nordin Amrabat sliding the ball through to the impressive Roberto Pereyra. He picked out Zuniga and the home side restored their lead.

It was Watford who continued to threaten with another substitute Isaac Success upended by Ashley Young inside the penalty area in injury-time with Deeney driving the spot-kick high beyond De Gea to confirm the result.

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