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 Alejandro Garnacho was listed as "Garnacho Garnacho" on the teamsheet.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka's name was also on it but as kick-off approached he shuffled along one of the back rows in the directors' box. Wan-Bissaka was accompanied by Luke Shaw and Anthony Martial in the block next to the press box in the south stand. Centre-back Tyler Fredricson, assigned squad number 80, was sat on the 12-man bench.
Selecting a 23-man squad ought not to be too onerous yet half of the United substitutes against Sociedad have never made a competitive start for the club. Kobbie Mainoo, perhaps the most complete of the talents who grasped the Youth Cup four months ago, trained with the first-team on Wednesday but was not on the bench.
Ten Hag has assembled a 28-man squad - the same size as Jose Mourinho's group in his first season as United manager that factored in Europa League commitments. Mourinho had more big-hitters whereas Ten Hag's list features the injured Axel Tuanzebe, Brandon Williams and Facundo Pellistri (all on loan last season), as well as rookies Garnacho and Zidane Iqbal.
That is cutting it fine. Wan-Bissaka was surplus when the transfer window was open and had such advance notice of it his status last season had still not ended. United were unable to oversee his transfer, either temporarily or permanently.
Ethan Laird's development on loan at Queens Park Rangers has taken precedent though he might have been a more appealing right-back to support Diogo Dalot. Dalot was rested for the second-half against Sociedad and without a specialist right-back to replace him, Victor Lindelof moved to the wing and was laboured against the terrific Takefusa Kubo.
It is an unwritten rule for a manager to break up a defensive partnership in-game unless it is enforced. Martinez had a fine 45 minutes, blemished though it was by a controversial call replete with an insulting yellow card, but United's stability was compromised with an auxiliary right-back pitted against a whippersnapper winger. The corner Sociedad won their spotkick from came as a consequence of Kubo outsprinting Lindelof.
At the other end, United were toothless. Antony embarked on a half-lap of honour following his removal but was ineffectual and his namesake Elanga was blunt again. Ronaldo was flagged offside more times than Filippo Inzaghi.
Eriksen, the best player in red, also came off at the pause. At least McNeill came on.
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