Manchester United were made to sweat for their point at Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League last night.
Manager David Moyes will be pleased that his charges managed to hold on to at least a point, after Danny Welbeck’s opener was cancelled out by Taison.
United can be commended for their defensive attrition, after they almost managed to keep the home side at bay.
There are certainly positives to take home with them from Ukraine. But unlike Real Madrid, who followed up a crushing domestic defeat with a cathartic European victory, United are yet to play this season like the heavyweight giants they are.
After the match, Moyes was satisfied and disappointed in equal parts.
A point was a good return, but a win would have made the long journey home feel much shorter and better.
"It is a good point. They have a great record against English teams and the team stood up well to it. We got a good goal early doors, and I thought we were going to stop them scoring," Moyes said.
"We said at half time we needed to keep the ball better, but we actually gave it away more in the second half so I'm a bit disappointed with that. But we were really unlucky to lose a goal."
Perhaps the only thing United will really celebrate, after what turned out to be a tough eastward slog, was the cameo appearance of Ryan Giggs.
When the 39-year-old veteran Welshman came on for Marouane Fellaini in the 66th minute, he set the record for the most appearances ever in the Champions League.
Including qualifiers, evergreen Giggs has now featured 145 times in Europe’s elite club competition, ahead of Real Madrid legend Raul.
“What a record, what a player,” Moyes said of Giggs after the game.
Read: Giggs Appointed A player-Coach At United
Read: Giggs As Enthusiastic As Ever
Read: United Fight For A Point
Watch: Ryan Gigg- What a record, what a player
