David de Gea has appeared in a permanent state of anguish during his debut season in the Manchester United goal. That tortured look returned against Athletic Bilbao but it is no longer his own struggles, rather those in front of him, that caused his despair at Old Trafford. The 21-year-old was outstanding against Marcelo Bielsa's side. Unfortunately for de Gea, Bilbao were even better.
The Spaniard stood tall against the outstanding Basques, displaying the athleticism and agility that resulted in the United supporters' player of the month award for February following his impressive response to being dropped after the FA Cup defeat at Liverpool. It was needed on a night when the strength and intelligence of Fernando Llorente, indeed all those who swarmed into every Bilbao attack, capitalised on another weak defensive display from United in Europe.
A second successive defeat in the Europa League maintained United's poor home form in European competition this season but there was ample consolation for Sir Alex Ferguson. It should have been much worse and his team should have little chance of preserving their place next week. De Gea produced a series of impressive stops to prevent Iker Muniain, Llorente and the substitute Gaizka Toquero recording a more emphatic victory but had every justification for the constant criticism he gave to those around him. Bilbao's third, when Phil Jones and Jonny Evans leapt for the same ball, the goalkeeper saved well from Oscar de Marcos and a dawdling Rafael da Silva allowed Muniain to close a 20-yard gap to convert the rebound justified his disgust.
Lessons had been learned from the Ajax home defeat, or so Ferguson had claimed, and there would be no repeat of the risky selection strategy he took against Frank de Boer's team at Old Trafford. "I accepted the blame because I selected too many young players in defence," he said. It was not, though, a United defence blessed with experience that started against a confident, expansive Bilbao team.
Between them, the United back line boasted a total of 137 European appearances before kick-off – although 82 belonged to the captain, Patrice Evra, who was frequently caught out by the metronomic passing of Ander Iturraspe and the adventure of Markel Susaeta and full-back Andoni Iraola down the right. He, and United, were powerless to prevent the constant supply from the Basques' productive flank.
For all Ferguson's talk of wise heads being required, he elected to leave Rio Ferdinand on the bench and recall Chris Smalling at the heart of defence alongside Evans, whose form has blossomed this season and in particular when handed a consistent run alongside the former England captain. Ferdinand's absence may have been understandable given his injury record and the demands of the Premier League, but it proved costly. There was no leadership or composure on display at the back.
Smalling, in particular, received an intensive education from the powerful Spain international Llorente and their individual duel proved as captivating as the overall contest. A week on from his horrible aerial collision with Klaas-Jan Huntelaar in England's defeat to Holland at Wembley, Smalling was to endure another painful night. And that was before another head injury, with blood pouring from under his bandages, forced his withdrawal in the 55th minute.
The 21-year-old was fortunate to avoid conceding a penalty when he pulled Llorente's shirt inside the area yet received a foul from the German referee, Florian Meyer. There was an inevitability about Llorente's headed equaliser, a slice of fortune for Bilbao with their second goal scored from an offside position and an element of farce about the free-kick award that led to their third, after Evra was penalised for kicking the ball having lost his boot. But not even Ferguson could offer much complaint.
Defensive frailty has cost United in two European competitions this season and they will suffer two early exits without a dramatic improvement in Bilbao next week. The United manager admitted he is already toying with the idea of saving Ferdinand against West Bromwich Albion on Sunday in order to field him in the second leg. It has been a steep learning curve in Europe without him this season.