Six changes, a lacklustre performance and a first defeat in five matches.
To say Manchester United's first Europa League group stage campaign in three years did not get off to the best of starts is something of an understatement. On a night where the death of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II brought a feeling of sadness across the country, United froze when they had the chance to build on Sunday's impressive 3-1 win over Arsenal.
Perhaps impacted by the sombre mood being experienced in the stands, United failed to impose themselves against a Real Sociedad side who are likely to be their biggest threat in their attempts to escape Group E as group winners. Manager Erik ten Hag, in a bid to freshen things up and hand out opportunities to those who have not been at the forefront of his thinking in recent weeks, made six changes to his team.
READ MORE: United are taking a risk with their squad options
Cristiano Ronaldo, experiencing life in the Europa League (then the UEFA Cup) for the first time in almost 20 years, struggled to have any sort of impact, while Brazilian duo Casemiro and Fred did little to threaten Scott McTominay's and Bruno Fernandes' positions in Ten Hag's preferred starting line-up. United's overall performance was laboured and disjointed, particularly after Christian Eriksen was withdrawn at half-time.
As we have seen on several occasions in recent years, United struggle to get the better of teams who sit deep and set up with a low block. They lack the ability to break them down and impose themselves in the final third.
Against Arsenal and Liverpool, United, as they have done in the past, secured back-to-back wins as a result of being devastating on the counter-attack and being quick in transition. Marcus Rashford played a key role in four of the five goals scored across those two matches and was sorely missed against Sociedad.
Although Ten Hag deployed direct and pacey wingers in the wide areas, handing starts to Anthony Elanga and summer signing Antony, Rashford's ability to get in behind the Sociedad defence was missed. His pace down the centre of the pitch has been key in recent weeks.
But considering Ten Hag had the option to replace Rashford with Ronaldo, it ought not to have been a major concern. But his showing against Sociedad showed why the Dutchman has favoured Rashford in the centre-forward role in each of the last four Premier League matches.
The England international, who is still best suited to playing on the left of the front-three, fits Ten Hag's way of playing, with the former Ajax boss renowned for favouring a fluid front-three with pace and trickery. Ronaldo, now at the age of 37, has lost that turn of speed, and does not press the opposition like Rashford does.
It is clear, therefore, that United, when the time comes to recruit a new elite-level centre-forward, must source someone who is a tailor-made to fit Ten Hag's way of playing. They will require a striker who not only has a respectable goalscoring pedigree, but also has the pace to get in behind and ability to press.
United are blessed with pace across the front line, both out wide and through the middle, meaning they have the ability to slice most teams open with quick, clever passing from midfield. As both Eriksen and Fernandes proved against Arsenal on Sunday, they are the architects of this team, who will attempt to spot the runs being made and then play a killer pass.
United's attacking play remains a work in progress. The Reds have failed to score more than one goal in three of their last four matches, with the win over Arsenal the only anomaly. That tells its own story.
Ronaldo, on paper, remains United's main marksman and offers their best hope of scoring goals. However, he is yet to get off the mark this season and Rashford is already showing that he is better suited to Ten Hag's approach. It is a key element the Reds will have to consider when finding his long-term replacement.
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