Cristiano Ronaldo had an awful time against Middlesbrough. His link-up play was non-existent as he missed multiple opportunities to pass to his teammates, and he seemed to have left his shooting boots at home.
The forward couldn't even complain about the service provided to him as Manchester United created chance after chance. Still, aside from Jadon Sancho, no one could muster a shot that wasn't either off-target or straight at the keeper.
But when Paul Pogba was brought down in the box and United were awarded a penalty, you knew exactly who would step up to take it, so Ronaldo did.
Everyone in the stadium waited, ready to join in his famous 'siu' celebration, when he inevitably slotted it home from the penalty spot and put United 1-0 up in this critical FA Cup fixture.
And then he missed.
It was a genuinely terrible penalty that didn't hit the target as Ronaldo dragged it wide. The Portuguese forward looked at the penalty spot to blame the surface, but playing at Old Trafford, that excuse doesn't go far.
United squandered several chances as the team could have easily been four or five goals to nil before the whistle went for halftime, but the missed penalty set the tone that this wasn't going to be United's night in front of the net.
However, it was a miss at Old Trafford that initially guaranteed Ronaldo's place as the designated penalty taker when Bruno Fernandes skied his chance against Aston Villa to resign his team to defeat in the Premier League.
When it came round to the penalty shoot out later in the game, Ronaldo did not make the same mistake again, powerfully striking it home, but now he has missed one, is the debate back open, or could another player step up to take the mantle.
Fernandes penalty record speaks for himself; he scored nine penalties last season in the Premier League to help United to a second-place finish behind Manchester City. He only missed one; when the ball was placed on the spot, he was ice cold.
And he showed he still had it, slotting home his penalty in the shootout in his usual calm style. Anthony Elanga was the unfortunate member of the squad who missed the decisive penalty.
As soon as Ronaldo came through the door, the narrative changed, and many questioned whether Fernandes should stay on spot kicks. Emiliano Martinez played on this before the ill-fated penalty against Villa telling the Portuguese midfielder to let United's famous number seven take the chance.
So who do United let take the penalties in the future?
I feel like Ronaldo will pull rank and continue to take penalties, but I don't think his role is as secure as it once was, and if he misses again, Fernandes may feel aggrieved if he continues to be overlooked.
And there is also Marcus Rashford and Pogba, who have been known to step up for the spot-kick in the past who could take up the mantle and several other United players who took their penalties well in the shootout.
With several dynamic attackers who like to drive into the box, it stands to reason that United will get many more penalties before the season ends. They will probably come at crucial moments, so Ralf Rangnick will have to decide who he trusts to step up when it matters.
Who do you think should be Manchester United's penalty taker? Follow our United On My Mind writer Casey Evans on Twitter and get involved in the discussion in the comment section below.
