Paul Pogba was left frustrated as Manchester United produced too little, too late against Burnley, with the midfielder vowing to learn from the first hiccup under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
The Norwegian could scarcely have wished for a better start to life in the Old Trafford hotseat, having kicked off his time in caretaker charge with eight straight wins in all competitions.
But a Premier League record-breaking seventh successive victory at the start of a managerial reign proved beyond Solskjaer on Tuesday evening as United finally stuttered.
A trying first half was followed by a frantic second period, with Ashley Barnes putting the Reds behind for the first time under their former striker before Chris Wood’s 81st-minute effort appeared to wrap up Burnley’s first Old Trafford win since 1962.
But United dug deep to keep their unbeaten run going, with Pogba scoring from the spot before Victor Lindelof snatched a 2-2 draw in stoppage time, but the overriding feeling was far from positive.
“We are disappointed with ourselves because we react and the way that we played when we conceded the second goal – we should have started like that and the game would be different,” Pogba said.
“But now it is done, you have to learn from your mistakes and next time I think we need to start the game differently. That’s it.”
Despite the last-gasp draw, United’s players trudged off the pitch feeling as if they had lost.
Such disappointment was clear in Pogba after a 2-2 draw that Solskjaer’s side will look to atone for at Leicester on Sunday.
Asked why the level dropped, the World Cup winner told broadcasters in the tunnel: “I don’t know.
“That’s the thing we have to look (at) because now we beat Tottenham, we beat Arsenal. We cannot look too good, you know we have to play.
“Like the manager says, keep being humble.
“It’s not that we didn’t (stay humble), but you have to start strong, you have to be aggressive because they were in the first half.
“I think we played like we were winning maybe 1-0 or 2-0 and that’s why the result was like that.
“But the comeback was positive. The result was disappointing.”
Solskjaer’s five changes seemed to disrupt the fluidity of the side on a night when Anthony Martial, whom Press Association Sport understands is close to agreeing a new long-term deal, missed out through injury.
The Norwegian will hope to have the Frenchman back against Claude Puel’s Foxes, when United’s unbeaten record run could extend into double figures.
“Like I said, the reaction was good,” Pogba added. “Then we didn’t lose, but we still let drop two points that we could have had.
“But, like I say, we learn from our mistakes.”