This was not what Andre Gomes will have wanted.
Nor Everton, really, as Marcel Brands and head of recruitment Gretar Steinsson watched on as he was substituted minutes into the second-half.
Gomes is becoming a mystery that Brands and Carlo Ancelotti could look to solve in the transfer market, or in the shape of the returning Jean Philippe-Gbamin.
Reinstalled to the starting line-up against Manchester United, Gomes was sloppy in possession and ineffective for large parts.
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This was not the player who arrived at Goodison Park and far from it.
Where is the central midfielder who wanted to get on the front-foot? The strong, bustling, aggressive player who was the best player on the pitch at Liverpool two years ago?
Any conversation about Gomes obviously has to be footnoted by the horrific injury suffered against Tottenham Hotspur last November but the blunt reality is his form had dipped prior to that.
It is sad, really, because Evertonians were given a tantalising glimpse into what Gomes can do when he first arrived under Marco Silva. He looked the complete midfielder, stylishly offering something no-one else could.
But right now his game is very much incomplete.
His passing remains too safe, choosing to play back towards his own goal too often. In the transition, he still looks off the pace, and admitted as much when he recently admitted he is still searching for full fitness.
With Allan out injured, Everton need more in midfield. A move for Sami Khedira has been hinted at by Carlo Ancelotti, while Tom Davies is also hoping for a run of games to impress.
Whatever happens next, the clock is ticking on Gomes' chances to find the form that made him such an instant success.
The problem is, the return of Gbamin - or entering the transfer market - can only push Gomes further down the pecking order.
As a player who clearly thrives on confidence, it is difficult to see how he rebuilds from here.
Does he need a run of games? A couple of goals and assists? Or will the switch eventually turn again and return the player we once knew?
The questions around what Gomes brings to the table are building, and the answers do not appear straightforward. That will worry Ancelotti.
