Manchester United lose at home to Real Sociedad to stall Ten Hag’s progress

Football was an obvious irrelevance after the evening’s news but, once Uefa ruled the game should go ahead, Manchester United duly fulfilled their Europa League fixture against Real Sociedad.

The death of Queen Elizabeth II threw a veil of sorrow over Old Trafford and a heartfelt tribute before kick-off brought those present together in a minute’s silence in respect to the monarch. The players and officials wore black armbands, the flags over the stadium flew at half-mast, pitch-side advertising hoardings turned off, and United issuing a statement that offered condolences and gratitude for the monarch’s “immense contribution to public life”.

Once the game got under way, Erik ten Hag’s side suffered a first defeat in five matches thanks to a controversial second-half Sociedad penalty, so United are already playing catch-up in the group stage.

A full-pelt charge by Antony that ranged from Sociedad territory to near his right corner flag and which closed down Takefusa Kubo was United’s highlight of a concerning opening half when defending. The Spanish side were hardly more robust in the department as Alejandro Remiro’s drop of a high Casemiro ball – he bumped into Aritz Elustondo – signalled a similar shakiness from the visitors.

Against opponents United eliminated from the last-32 stage two years ago Ten Hag had recalled Harry Maguire and Cristiano Ronaldo, while Victor Lindelöf made his first start of the season and Casemiro his first for the club. Sociedad had David Silva, arguably the finest footballer of Sheikh Mansour’s Manchester City ownership during a decade there, operating as a floating No 10 but it was United’s chief conductor, Christian Eriksen, who dominated before the break.

One pass from the classy Dane had