Mauricio Pochettino saw his team suffer a loss in the Premier League at Old Trafford on Wednesday evening. Robert Sanchez kept us in it with a penalty save to deny Bruno Fernandes and Cole Palmer scored to send us in level at the break following Scott McTominay's opener.

However, McTominay headed in again in the second half and this time we couldn't find a way back, despite Mykhailo Mudryk and Armando Broja both hitting the woodwork.

Giving an honest assessment of the match, Pochettino admitted we struggled to match the home side's intensity and can't have much complaint with the result on the night, even if we could have snatched something with the chances we created.

'I am disappointed because we didn’t start the game well,' he said. 'The feeling is that they started better than us, showing more energy than us. We couldn’t match the energy. I think they were better than us and there’s nothing I can say.

'We created enough chances to get something from the game. We drew the first half and at 1-1 had some good chances, and should have scored and been more clinical, that was the problem.

'The second half we started well but then we conceded and again I think we missed a little bit the energy to be more aggressive. We had some chances but not enough to get back in the game again. But overall my feeling is that they were better than us and deserved the three points.'

Pochettino explained the half-time introduction of Reece James was down to his fitness levels, and not a reflection of the other players' first-half performance...

'It was 1-1 in the first half but we could not play with Reece during 90 minutes. That is why we made the decision.

'We got what we wanted in the second half, to use the right side more to attack and with Reece that happened. But I don’t think it was a problem with a player or the positioning of the team in the first half.

'I think it was more positive but they showed more energy and we didn’t match it.'

He also admitted the exertions in the 3-2 victory over Brighton with 10 men three days ago might have taken a toll on tonight's performance, meaning he doesn't feel the same anger at this defeat as he did at Newcastle two weeks ago...

'Now is not the same because we miss players, we play nearly with the same players as against Brighton, when we did 60 minutes with one player less, with one day less to recover than Manchester United.

'I think to play against Brighton with a man less for 60 minutes maybe affected a little bit the energy and the performance of the players. But then we needed to recover and there’s too many players injured and we need to recover them as soon as possible to be more competitive, to have different options to help the team.

'You could see on our bench there were many young players trying to help us. That is not an excuse, but we need to talk with the reality and that is the reality. I am not disappointed because the players gave everything, but maybe we didn’t match the energy. They were a little bit more aggressive than us.

'But we were competitive because we made chances and maybe enough to draw the game. But when the result is 2-1 you get nothing. I think we need to be calm and keep going, trying to help the players to be ready for Sunday.

'A few days ago we were talking about a fantastic performance and how we were going well. Today because we didn’t get what we wanted here, we cannot change what we say now. We need to stay calm and for sure try to help the team to improve and be more competitive and be more consistent when the players who are missing can be with us again.'