"We know what to do," Erik ten Hag said ahead of his Manchester United side's final Europa League group stage match against Real Sociedad on Thursday evening.
At stake was top spot in Group E, though United had to oust their Spanish opposition by at least two goals in order to edge them on head-to-head. Victory by a single goal wouldn't be enough for United given La Real's superior goal difference - the differential used if head-to-head cannot be.
Both sides came into the fixture comfortably through to the knockout stages, but failure to finish head of the group would mean having to participate in a play-off round against a side demoted from the Champions League due to finishing third in their group.
It wouldn't be the be all and end all for United not to top the group, but a challenging additional knockout tie against any of Ajax, Bayer Leverkusen, Barcelona, Sporting Lisbon, RB Salzburg, Shakhtar Donetsk, Sevilla or Juventus wouldn't be remotely ideal, especially during a period already promising issues with fixture congestion.
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Real Sociedad came into the games having won each of their matches in the group, including against United in the opening match. It was that encounter that put United in a place of peril for their trip to San Sebastian, and a dubious refereeing decision was decisive in handing La Real a penalty with which they won the match.
The reverse meeting was one of subdued nature, taking place only hours after the death of Queen Elizabeth II in early September. It looked like a match ambling towards a goalless draw for the most-part. United were unworthy losers on that occasion, but they had to do more in the away fixture.
Real Sociedad could have been forgiven for being content to defend - something that they had done with assurance throughout the group stage campaign, conceding only once and possessing the best defensive record in the competition. But that wasn't the approach that Imanol Alguacil took.
La Real showed purpose to get onto the front foot in the early stages against a United side very much aware that the permutations necessitated them to treat the match as a must-win in which they effectively start a goal down.
"It's about bringing tempo," Ten Hag said. However, his opposite number set up his side to counteract intent with intent with the knowledge that a goal would make United's task considerably taller.
Real Sociedad were disruptive to United's rhythm, not allowing them to string together many threatening moves. It was a different-looking United side in some regards given absentees, especially in attacking areas with Antony and Anthony Martial still recovering from injury and Jadon Sancho unwell.
Victor Lindelof returned in place of Harry Maguire in defence, while Alejandro Garnacho started for the second consecutive week as Anthony Elanga dropped out of the side. Donny van de Beek returned to the starting fray, meanwhile, with Ten Hag faced with the World Cup conundrum forcing rotation as Marcus Rashford dropped to the bench; Van de Beek operated as the no.10, with Bruno Fernandes pushed to the right flank.
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It didn't always feel as though United were producing efficient patterns of play, somewhat down to La Real's approach. Alternatively, there were issues with regards to Van de Beek not offering enough of a presence, turning into a slight anonymity in proceedings.
Ten Hag credited Van de Beek post-match and the benefit of the doubt can be offered by the fact he has just returned from injury, but he will have to involve himself more in future matches to prove he has a future at the club.
There were issues with regards to Cristiano Ronaldo ineffectively dropping deep in attempt to link play on a number of occasions, doing so on a basis frequent to the extent that he interfered with the space that the no.10 - in this case Van de Beek - should be operating in. This is a recurring matter that goes some way to explaining why Fernandes performs better without Ronaldo in the side.
Albeit Ronaldo can still be highly influential in a positive manner when dropping deeper, and his role in the build-up of United's first half opening goal proved why it is still a useful habit if with more refined regularity. He picked up the ball between the deepest opposing midfielder and centre-backs after Fernandes won a header from David De Gea's kick, causing hesitance from the Real Sociedad defence.
Ronaldo ultimately played a well-weighted through ball to Garnacho, who held his width before taking two perfect touches to set himself as he showed directness to drive into the penalty area with pace. In only his second senior start, the 18-year-old Argentine finished clinically on his weaker left foot - his ability to go both ways is troubling in terms of causing unpredictability for defenders.
It was a tight affair throughout the first half, and it was credit to United's attacking quality that they undid such a strong defence with such incision. Otherwise, though, chances were scarce as neither side asserted complete authority.
Still, De Gea had to step up for United again by making a crucial double save in the closing stages prior to the break. It was closer than Ten Hag would have desired.
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United had essentially done half of the job required at half-time against testing opposition, but Ten Hag wasn't content with the direction in which his side were heading.
Changes ensued around the hour mark as Ten Hag deemed a change in approach necessary. Before proceedings, Ten Hag had insisted: "We have an idea with Marcus Rashford and the end of the game." And, maybe slightly fast-tracked, Rashford replaced Van de Beek as one of two alterations.
The second of the substitutions involved the withdrawal of Lindelof, but it was Scott McTominay that replaced him instead of Maguire. It seemed outlandish on the face of things, and that sense was only exacerbated as Ten Hag's systematic switch took force.
The alterations marked a change of formation to an iteration of a 3-4-3 setting up more as a 3-3-1-3, with McTominay joining Casemiro and Christian Eriksen in midfield and Lisandro Martinez joined by full-backs Diogo Dalot and Luke Shaw in a back three.
It was an unorthodox set-up but unquestionably an attacking shape. The four bodies in midfield exemplified Ten Hag's intentions for United to establish control in the midfield areas, while the wingers tasked with holding width.
Strange was that Rashford operated in the role behind Ronaldo rather than Fernandes shifting inside. The aim was clearly to try and overload the opposing centre backs while having an outlet for making runs in behind amid a more direct approach.
But Ten Hag's methodology was somewhat counterproductive in that Fernandes operating centrally would have better contributed to Ten Hag's will for dominance in midfield, while Rashford out wide would have offered explosion lacked by Fernandes.
Similarly counter-intuitive was that the full-backs were sacrificed as attacking outlets as they found themselves pinned back in a trio with Lisandro Martinez, who was standout again. The full-backs are crucial in progressing the ball, and United were largely unable to get the ball to their wide players enough given the full-backs were in such defensive roles.
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The role of the full-backs was further proven flawed in the final 10 minutes as Ten Hag took his desire for directness to another level as desperation became a factor. Harry Maguire was introduced along with Fred as Garnacho and Eriksen made way, but it wasn't a return to a back four as Maguire slotted alongside Ronaldo and, latterly, McTominay up front.
Again, the intention wasn't necessarily wrong and risks had to be taken. But the full-backs being hemmed back as centre-backs meant the main outlets for crossing weren't operable in that regard.
The tallest players being placed as attackers did cause some chaos, but it was ultimately in vein without any Fellaini-esque impact.
Despite the attacking intent that United displayed, they only managed a single shot (which was off-target) in the second half, amounting to a total of only four throughout proceedings. Comparatively, Real Sociedad managed 13 shots, including eight in the second half as Ten Hag's side were tasked with being considerably more expressive.
Ten Hag will have been ruing the absences of three important attacking players; even one of Sancho, Antony and Martial being fit may have meant avoidance of having to opt for such an unusual innovation. Ten Hag was certainly limited by the personnel at his disposal, forced to play some players in roles they weren't particularly comfortable in.
Even amid the disappointment of failing to secure a two-goal winning margin, creating the strange paradox of a win that is essentially a loss, Ten Hag's outlook was positive. "Of course we're disappointed," he said. "We always want to be number one, but there are positives."
Among the positives, United did at least once manage to breach the staunch resistance that La Real have provided throughout the Europa League group stages, beating a side that had won nine of their previous 11 matches in all competitions. Ten Hag earmarked keeping a clean sheet as another encouraging point.
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At the end of the day, removing the context of Group E as a whole, it was a good result for United against a good side in a country that they usually struggle in. On any other occasion, it would have been a laudable outcome.
United will now have to progress to the round of 16 the hard way, facing a busy February as they hunt for silverware after a five-season drought.
"You don't always get what you deserve," Ten Hag said. "The first leg they got a penalty which wasn't a penalty."
United will certainly feel aggrieved that they didn't progress top of the group and avoid the play-off - a lapse in terms of officiating proved significant. But at least Ten Hag and his side can take away the fact their group stage campaign, in which they accumulated a near-perfect 15 points anyway, was worthy of finishing at the head of the standings.
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