Old Trafford played host to a deeply frustrating evening for Manchester United after the Red Devils flopped on the big occasion once again.

Dumped out of the Champions League by Atletico Madrid last night thanks to Renan Lodi’s first-half header, the post-mortem of their 2-1 aggregate defeat and another disappointing season has already begun.

Out of contention to win a trophy for the fifth season running, we pick out the five key talking points from a nightmare result at the Theatre of Dreams.

Fred from desire

Fred was arguably United’s best player on the night with one audacious bit of skill in the first half drawing audible gasps from the home crowd.

But it is a sad indictment of the club’s position that a much-maligned midfielder was the one to come out of this display with the most credit.

Fred is far from the only player to have underperformed since arriving at Old Trafford in the past decade, yet his attitude last night stood out.

While other more established stars moaned at the referee, their team-mates and looked devoid of ideas, Fred did not.

It was something of a surprise to see him taken off for Edinson Cavani but there was well-deserved applause for the Brazilian’s display. 

Bruno on the canvas

These were the sort of nights Bruno Fernandes moved to Manchester United for — to star in a big Champions League tie.

But this was not how he, nor United, imagined such evenings going for the Portuguese playmaker.

Angry from the very first whistle, Bruno was often the furthest forward player in the middle of the park and it just did not work.

Whereas before his spikiness on the pitch was described as driving players to higher standards, here it just looked disruptive.

Hooked by manager Ralf Rangnick with 23 minutes to go, the 27-year-old looked devastated and remains trophyless in two years at United.

Maguire's nadir

There were six minutes left when Rangnick decided it was time to replace Harry Maguire with a more attacking player.

The ironic cheers and sarcastic applause from the Old Trafford faithful said it all — they have stopped backing their struggling captain.

Maguire will have heard the reaction and will be mightily pleased to get out of the United bubble with England next week.

Red Devils legend Paul Scholes said: "The manager has shown faith in him to keep playing him considering the form he’s been in.

"It seems everything Harry is doing has turned into an absolute disaster."

Ageing bench

The average age of United’s five subs last night was just under 31 — and that figure was helped by 24-year-old Marcus Rashford.

In their time of need, Rangnick had to turn to an out-of-form Rashford, a player who has never looked like he wanted to be at Old Trafford in Paul Pogba, 29, and three players in their 30s.

Cavani is certain to leave this summer but has provided a spark at times for United this term.

Even when he was 23, fellow substitute Nemanja Matic was not a player expected to unlock defences or drive a team on, yet at 33 he was part of a side who needed just that.

But the nadir was bringing on Juan Mata, also 33, in the closing stages as the man to get United out of a huge hole.

He has only played 171 minutes of football this term, with none of them coming in the Premier League, and throwing him on was a sorry attempt at a last-ditch effort.

Simeone abuse

A low and sad point at the end of a bleak night at Old Trafford came when Diego Simeone sprinted to the tunnel at full-time.

Why the Argentine did it is unclear, maybe United fans thought he was preparing to celebrate with a Jose Mourinho-esque knee slide in front of the Stretford End.

But even that would not excuse the numerous fans who launched multiple objects at the Atleti boss.

For United, it means the final act of a grim evening that may see them fined by UEFA in the coming weeks.