Manchester United are taking a risk with their squad options

For Charlie McNeill, the United mad lad to those who knew him growing up, the noticeably chirpy cheer from the Stretford End that greeted his name on Thursday night will be a memory etched into his memory and will have given his family goosebumps.

McNeill rejoined the United academy from City two years ago and helped end the club's 11-year FA Youth Cup drought. His annus mirrabilis continued with a debut against Real Sociedad.

Cristiano Ronaldo filmed a video message for the United youth teamers that was played in the home dressing room on the eve of the Youth Cup final at Old Trafford in May. Last night, McNeill shared the same pitch as Ronaldo. McNeill's mother was heavily pregnant with Charlie when Ronaldo made his debut for United in 2003. Today is McNeill's 19th birthday.

Read more: United player ratings vs Real Sociedad

McNeill's entrance provided some cheer on a palpably sombre evening. The 112-year-old stadium was more hushed as kick-off approached, although the Basques and the regulars in the singing section provided fervent flurries of support.

Erik ten Hag made a couple of decisions as strange as the referee's in penalising Lisandro Martinez for handball. The six changes were permissible in a starting XI United had invested nearly £400million in but interval substitutions that were unenforced and with the game goalless against a Liga side were frivolous.

That was also the only questionable act on an evening United's 11th-hour remembrance of the Queen was dignified. Withdrawing regular starters underestimated Sociedad even if Bruno Fernandes was a striking replacement and denied an assist by a blunt Cristiano Ronaldo.

United's squad depth is still dubious. They again named two goalkeepers on the bench and