There were complaints from Wayne Rooney that his teammates weren't doing their jobs after Esteban Cambiasso rifled home the equaliser. The red-faced striker marched around the pitch in a manner reminiscent of Roberto Mancini's self-combustion on the final day in 2012, barking at everyone and no-one. But Rooney was more to blame for United's performance than anyone.
Indeed, the captain's display reinforced that he is vastly inferior to the other attacking talents now available to Louis van Gaal. His touch was poor, his speed of thought absent, and his passing careless. It was nothing out of the ordinary, leaving United fans scratching their heads at Van Gaal's insistence that his captain "shall always play".
Rooney largely ignored his own errors post-match - such as the one that led to Cambiasso's strike - but his criticism of the defence is obviously justified to a point - whether it will encourage improvement is another matter. With two separate players conceding penalties, a red card for Tyler Blackett, Jonny Evans limping off and Marcos Rojo struggling against Vardy, it was another alarming display at the back.
It will not be easy for Van Gaal to fix either, considering the personnel he is left with. It's hardly enlightening analysis to recognise that United should have invested further in their defence during the summer splurge, but that only makes it more damning that the club failed to strengthen such a vital area of the team. Throwing stacks of cash at Falcao and Angel Di Maria doesn't prove that Ed Woodward is up to a job for which many deem him unsuitable.
What it does mean is that there was a silver lining to United's defeat, with Di Maria in particular oozing class over the first half. His finish to make it 2-0 was sublime, while an opportunistic effort from Falcao almost caught Kasper Schmeichel off his line again after the break, the striker's shot crashing off the cross bar. It's difficult to understand why both were replaced while Rooney remained the focal point of United's attack until the end.
"I have played Rooney as a striker, before Falcao came, but he thinks his best position is behind," said Van Gaal before the match. On Sunday's evidence, it's clear that Rooney should no longer be allowed to call the shots, especially when Juan Mata promises much of the quality his teammate lacks in the No.10 role.
It should also be remembered that Rooney moaned about not playing as a striker following Robin van Persie's arrival - a player's indecision over their best position often hints at a desperate attempt to halt an unstoppable decline. United would surely be stronger without Rooney starting at this stage.
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. I have nothing against Rooney the person anymore, but I think Rooney the player is tactically and technically inferior to all our other starting options in the entire front six. I hope I'm wrong, he's now our captain after-all, but I can't see a way to have a cohesive and united team (pun intended) with him as a guaranteed starter. Here's to hoping he somehow regains his peak form.
