Michael Moffat admits Ayr's players face a fight to keep their shirts following Saturday's thumping at Partick.
United were on the end of a 4-0 defeat as Ian McCall's Jags ran out easy winners in Glasgow.
And Moffat confessed United’s players now have everything to prove if they want to stay in the team under new gaffer Jim Duffy.
Moff told the Ayrshire Post: “Before the game, I didn’t think anyone in this league would beat us 4-0.
“The worst thing is Partick didn’t really need to work for their goals.
“If teams cut you open, you say well done to them.
“But that’s what came as a surprise because the goals we lost were so, so poor. Jim’s done well and got the job and now we want to do well for him.
"But as he said to us himself...if we have a few more results like that it will be a different guy standing there."
United will now be left to kick their heels for two weeks during the international break before welcoming Queen of the South on October 16.
And Moffat admits they'll have plenty to prove when they return to action.
He said: "We have the international break and just need to pick ourselves up.
“Jim will have things he wants to work on and drum into the players and come the next game against Queens we’ll have to be far better or we’ll be getting nothing again.
“I’m sure he didn’t want to mark his first game that way, I don’t think anyone saw it coming.
“We had a great support up with us and everyone was expecting a good performance, so it was a major disappointment.
“Jim says it how it is, if he’s not happy with you he’ll tell you and I think the boys like that.
“But one thing's for sure – there will be nobody moaning saying they deserve a game against Queens because they certainly didn’t do themselves justice here.
“And if there’s changes to the team and shape then we know why.
“Whoever plays has to try and keep the jersey now.”
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