Man United humbled by Bournemouth to leave Carrick's job under threat, Liverpool beats Brighton

Michael Carrick patted his chest and gave an apologetic salute to the Manchester United fans who were applauding him, before trudging down the tunnel at the end of another bruising afternoon at Old Trafford.

Then came a chorus of boos for the United players walking behind him.

United had just lost 3-0 — again — to Bournemouth in the Premier League and the disgruntled home support was letting it be known who they were behind in this latest sorry episode at a team that, not too long ago, was the pinnacle of English soccer.

Indeed, the only person to escape censure was the manager overseeing an eight-match winless run that is bringing more embarrassment to the country’s biggest club.

“It hurts an awful lot to see us going through this at this moment in time,” said an emotional-looking Carrick, who spoke of his “mixed emotions” during a match that further exposed the weakness in his fragile United team.

“It wasn’t a farewell from me,” Carrick added of post-match actions that saw him lead his players on a walk around the field. “What it looks like, what is next — I really don’t know. But I’ll always do what’s best for this football club.”

Carrick is trying everything to get United out its perilous position, which sees the club languishing in 16th place in the 20-team Premier League.

That includes even dropping captain Bruno Fernandes.

The humbling by Bournemouth came four days after a humiliating 4-1 loss at Como in the Champions League that was followed by critical comments to the media by Fernandes about Carrick’s tactics.

Carrick responded by leaving the Portugal star — the player of the year in England last season — out of the team in what the manager described as a “pure football” decision. Fernandes briefly went out to warm up at one point but never made it onto the field, where United defended woefully as Bournemouth scored through Rayan, Marcus Tavernier and Evanilson.

Carrick’s job is under huge threat, barely five months after he signed a permanent deal as manager after leading the team back into the Champions League while on a short-term contract in the second half of last season.

But getting rid of Carrick would not solve the huge problems at United, whose fans also chanted against Jason Wilcox — the club’s director of football who was the target of recent criticism from defender Lisandro Martinez — and the Glazer family, the majority owners, before letting rip on the players.

United has won one of its eight league games this season — and that was at home to promoted Ipswich on Aug. 30.

“It’s nowhere near good enough,” United defender Harry Maguire said. “Something needs to change.”

As for Bournemouth, it has now beaten United 3-0 at Old Trafford in three of the last four seasons. On its other visit in that stretch, there was a 4-4 draw.

Brighton — the league’s surprise package this season — was beaten 2-0 at Liverpool for its first defeat since August, after which the south-coast team embarked on a stunning run since that included two 5-0 wins and a 3-0 victory over defending champion Arsenal.

That streak ended in a tight game at Anfield, with Liverpool’s goals coming in a four-minute span midway through the first half. Pascal Gross deflected Florian Wirtz’s shot into his own net before Alexander Isak turned home Bradley Barcola’s cross.

It was Liverpool's first league win at home under Andoni Iraola, hired as manager over the summer, and it lifted the team into fourth spot — a point and a place behind Brighton

Brighton had 64% possession and 17 shots — though just one on target — and manager Fabian Hurzeler called it a “missed opportunity” for his team to further underline its status as a growing force.

“I think everyone in the stadium saw that there was one team who really tried to create and try to win this game," Hurzeler said, "and therefore I have to praise my players."

Newcastle beat Crystal Palace 2-0 thanks to second-half goals from William Osula and Harvey Barnes. Hull and Brentford drew 1-1, while Sunderland and Leeds finished 0-0.

Steve Douglas is at https://twitter.com/sdouglas80

See AP’s full soccer coverage here

Manchester United's head coach Michael Carrick reacts to supporters after his team lost the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester United and Bournemouth in Manchester, England, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)

Manchester United's head coach Michael Carrick waves to supporters after his team lost the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester United and Bournemouth in Manchester, England, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)

Liverpool's Alexander Isak celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Brighton and Hove Albion in Liverpool, England, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Jon Super)

Bournemouth's Marcus Tavernier, right, shoots to score his side's second goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester United and Bournemouth in Manchester, England, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)

Manchester United's Andrey Santos, left, and Manchester United's Mason Mount react during the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester United and Bournemouth in Manchester, England, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)

Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes warmns up ahead of the start of the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester United and Bournemouth in Manchester, England, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)

Manchester United's head coach Michael Carrick applauds to supporters ahead of the start of the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester United and Bournemouth in Manchester, England, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)

BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — High turnout and gathering tensions marked a highly contested parliamentary election on Sunday in Serbia that is a showdown between the Balkan country’s strongman leader Aleksandar Vucic and a diverse movement of university students who have led protests against him for almost two years.

Though Serbia's 6.4 million voters can choose from 18 parties hoping to enter the 250-member Parliament, the election has taken shape as a referendum between Vucic's right-wing Serbian Progressive Party and the youth-backed Students' List.

The main contenders are believed to be polling neck-and-neck, making Sunday's election the most uncertain in recent years. More than half of registered voters cast ballots by mid-afternoon, suggesting high interest in the vote that observers said could favor the students.

Tensions built as voting progressed during the day. Police in anti-riot gear cordoned off an area in central Belgrade around the election commission headquarters. Local media reported several violent incidents throughout the country, and special police vehicles could be seen near a Belgrade park where Vucic's loyalists have been camping for over a year.

During a news conference less than two hours before polls closed, a student representative urged citizens to “stay calm and composed.”

While the increasingly authoritarian Vucic has routinely outplayed Serbia’s fractured opposition in the past, the leaderless youth movement has proved to be a tough opponent that rattled his firm grip on power in Serbia like no one else in the 14 years since his party took office.

A student victory would echo the recent electoral defeat of a Vucic ally in Hungary, where youth participation helped oust the autocratic Viktor Orbán after 16 years and bring in a new pro-European government. It would also likely resonate beyond Serbia as countries across Europe face youth and student protests.

Voters queued at polling places around the country from the early hours on Sunday as local election monitors noted relatively high participation. Monitors predicted that turnout could reach around 70%, unseen in Serbia since 2000.

Long queues also formed at polling stations around the world, some in the middle of the night after authorities tied voting hours to local Serbian time.

In the capital, Belgrade, Vucic stood in line alongside his wife for nearly two hours before casting his ballot. He told reporters he hopes for a peaceful election day and that he and his party will respect the result.

“The will of the people is the will of God: vox populi, vox dei,” Vucic said. “If we lose, we will recognize the electoral will. If we win, no one will take it away from us.”

Vucic said his camp will announce reliable projections about three hours after polls close at 8 p.m. local time (1900 GMT). Asked about whether the high turnout means people want change, he said: “Let’s wait for the result.”

Independent election monitors reported dozens of cases of irregularities on Sunday such as photographing of ballots that suggested pressure on voters and attempted vote buying.

Local media also cited several violent incidents across the country. Andreas von Beckerath, the European Union ambassador in Belgrade, said in a social media post that he was “deeply concerned” by such reports, and called “on all actors to remain calm, to act responsibly and refrain from violence and provocations.”

After casting his ballot in the northern Serbian city of Novi Sad, Ilija Srdanovic, a physician who is the first of 250 candidates for the youth movement, said the long lines heralded “record turnout in Serbia’s recent history.”

“I hope that this day will pass in a democratic atmosphere and in peace and that we will legitimately choose a new government in Serbia,” Srdanovic said.

At a polling station in Belgrade, voter Jovan Mitrovic said he hopes that “everything goes peacefully and that everything finishes nicely,” and that “the dawn finally rises in this country after many years.”

Recent elections have been marred by irregularities and the EU is closely watching the conduct of Sunday's vote in a candidate nation for the bloc's membership.

Both international and local election monitors already have expressed concern about the safety and fairness of an election campaign marked by detentions, near-total government control over the media and reports of surveillance and cyberattacks against activists.

Local elections earlier this year in 10 municipalities in Serbia saw violent attacks on journalists and activists. The previous parliamentary vote in 2023 was followed by opposition protests alleging fraud.

If his SNS party wins the most votes, Vucic will become the prime minister after serving two near-full terms as president. He resigned the presidency last month to lead the campaign.

Support for the populist has eroded since 16 people were killed in 2024 when a concrete canopy collapsed at a train station in Novi Sad. That set off a wave of youth protests that blamed the collapse on high-level corruption, cronyism and rampant graft during renovation work at the station.

Despite the protests, Vucic retains considerable support among Serbia's voters. Admirers view him as a capable leader who can steer the nation through global uncertainties — the image that was carefully crafted by the mainstream media.

The newly formed Students' List movement is shaped by university students but none are actually on the list. Instead, its candidates are little-known experts, athletes, farmers and artists.

This approach was meant to counter Vucic's one-man rule and restore a sense of community and solidarity. The students' message during the campaign focused on a non-partisan effort to rebuild Serbia's economy and restore its democracy.

The students have used youthful energy to attract voters who are disillusioned with local politicians. Vilified by pro-government media, they have cycled and walked through the country to reach voters in rural areas — Vucic's traditional strongholds.

Election surveys have shown varied results while both camps say they are ahead. Some analysts fear postelection instability in case of a close result.

Vucic has said that any protests that might erupt to claim fraud in case of his party's triumph would be immediately quashed. The state election commission is not expected to release the official tally before Monday.

Aleksandar Vucic, leader of the right-wing Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), speaks to media after voting in a parliamentary election in Belgrade, Serbia, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

People wait in lines outside a polling station to cast their votes during a parliamentary election in Belgrade, Serbia, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Armin Durgut)

A man holds a dog while arriving at a polling station to vote in a parliamentary election in Belgrade, Serbia, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

People wait outside a polling station before the start of voting in a parliamentary election in Novi Sad, Serbia, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Armin Durgut)

Students' List leader Ilija Srdanovic casts his vote in a parliamentary election in Novi Sad, Serbia, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Armin Durgut)

Aleksandar Vucic, leader of the right-wing Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), waits along with his wife Tamara to vote in a parliamentary election in Belgrade, Serbia, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

People enter a polling station that just opened its doors to cast their votes in a parliamentary election in Novi Sad, Serbia, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Armin Durgut)

Serbia's populist leader Aleksandar Vucic, center, listens to the Serbian national anthem with supporters during a pre-election rally of his ruling Serbian Progressive Party ahead of the early parliamentary election scheduled for Oct. 25, in Belgrade, Serbia, Thursday, Oct. 22, 2026. (AP Photo)

People shine the lights of their mobile phones and light flares during the final "Student List – Students Win" rally ahead of a parliamentary election in Belgrade, Serbia, Thursday, Oct. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Armin Durgut)

Serbia's populist leader Aleksandar Vucic gestures during a pre-election rally of his ruling Serbian Progressive Party ahead of the early parliamentary election scheduled for Oct. 25, in Belgrade, Serbia, Thursday, Oct. 22, 2026. (AP Photo)

A young man holds a Serbian flag as people gather for the final "Student List – Students Win" rally ahead of a parliamentary election in Belgrade, Serbia, Thursday, Oct. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Marko Drobnjakovic)