Erik ten Hag admitted Manchester United “need options” up front after they beat Real Sociedad but failed to score enough goals to avoid a Europa League play-off tie.
Already assured of progress from Group E, the second-placed Red Devils arrived in Spain knowing they needed to win by a two-goal margin to usurp the first-placed hosts and progress straight to the round of 16.
Teenager Alejandro Garnacho got them off to a superb start but United lost their way after half-time, with Ten Hag’s alterations ineffective as La Real dug deep in a 1-0 defeat that means they topped the group.
The Reds finish runners-up and will face one of the sides dropping out of the Champions League, with Barcelona, Juventus and Ten Hag’s former club Ajax among the possible opponents in Monday’s play-off draw.
Ten Hag was pleased with Garnacho – who overtook George Best as the club’s youngest non-English goalscorer in major European competition – but says United must work on their effectiveness in the final third.