Pep Guardiola hasn't had many low points during a glittering decade as Manchester City manager, but this was right up there.
A 3-1 defeat by Norwegian minnows Bodo/Glimt, who had never won a Champions League main draw match before Tuesday night, in front of 8,000 fans in freezing temperatures inside the Arctic Circle - and the result was totally deserved.
Why Pep Guardiola could make shock Manchester City exit
The defeat in Norway means City will almost certainly need to win next Wednesday's final league phase game at home to Galatasaray to finish in the top eight of the table and qualify automatically for the last 16. They also trail leaders Arsenal by seven points in the Premier League title race.
On a night when midfielder Rodri was sent off for two yellow cards, Guardiola admitted: "Today was an incredible opportunity for us but everything is going wrong, going against us in many details.
"That's a fact and we have to try to change it. The players are there and we tried. I don't have any doubt that in this competition, nothing is for granted, that's for sure. United were better than us (Saturday). Today it was momentum that punished us."
Guardiola's contract at City runs until summer 2027, after the former Barcelona manager signed a two-year extension in November 2024.
But the 55-year-old, who has won 14 major trophies since arriving at the Etihad in 2016 and is ranked at no.3 in FourFourTwo's list of the best Premier League managers ever, appears at a loss to explain his side's downturn in form that leaves their season at risk of unravelling.
It comes after presenter Richard Keys even suggested Guardiola could walk away before Saturday's Premier League home game against rock-bottom Wolves, claiming that former Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca is lined up to replace him.
"I think it's nailed on that he's gone at the end of the season," Keys said on beIN Sport.
"But, do not rule out him leaving this week. This week. If he goes this week, Maresca will be in charge of the match against Wolves.
"City will be apoplectic, and they'll deny it, of course, but it's on his mind, I'm telling you, to leave this week. He does this a lot, so you can't read much into it, but this time you can."
Guardiola signed his contract extension in 2024 after a run of four successive defeats, explaining that he wanted to help City "overcome" their poor form.
That suggests he won't want to leave the Etihad without a fight, but after almost 10 seasons competing at the top of English football, the Catalan's determination to battle on may be wearing thin.
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