De Gea's deal
It's been a strange couple of months for David De Gea. While his contract wrangle continues the Spaniard hasn't done his cause much good with a number of uncharacteristic errors, while also still producing the odd magical moment.
He made a sensational save on Saturday from Michail Antonio and he pulled off a stunning stop to deny Sergi Roberto on the stroke of half-time in the Nou Camp.
But by that point the game had gone for United thanks to De Gea's dreadful mistake for Lionel Messi's second goal. It was a routine save from a low 20-yard shot but somehow De Gea let it squirm under his body.
Mistakes like that have crept into his game recently. De Gea was once the most consistent goalkeeper in the world, barely putting a glove wrong, but he's not in that category at the moment.
He's still capable of saving United, as he showed in January at Wembley against Tottenham, but the errors are becoming an issue. United are understandably keen to keep De Gea, who wants Champions League football as well as a decent pay rise given the wages being paid to Alexis Sanchez, but the Sanchez issue is a thorny one and the club can't throw that sort of money at every player.
De Gea has plenty of credit in the bank at United given his heroics down the years, but he's picked a bad time to show signs of vulerability.
Trusting the front three
Jesse Lingard and Anthony Martial had a pretty good case to be disappointed they didn't start the first leg of this tie at Old Trafford, but they didn't exactly show that on the pitch against West Ham on Saturday.
So the decision to start both of them in Barcelona was more down to Solskjaer trusting his preferred front three than their recent form. Romelu Lukaku's not exactly made an irresistible case for selection either of late and Lingard, Martial and Marcus Rashford were the ideal front three in the early days of the Solskjaer era.
But since Lingard and Martial suffered first-half injuries in the first leg against Paris Saint-Germain that trio had started just one game together - in the FA Cup quarter-final defeat to Wolves.
This was a selection based on instinct from Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and it worked to a degree. He got the start he wanted and there were times even as the game got away from United where they looked bright on the break.
Moments make matches
United roared out of the blocks in the Nou Camp. This was a start as fast, if not quicker, than the one they made in Paris and Rashford should really have put them ahead inside 30 seconds. Instead he hit the bar and it summed up United's opening salvos.
That front three ran the Barcelona defence ragged for 10 minutes but they wasted numerous good openings. United had to score when they were on top.
Instead they fluffed their lines and they were punished. The chasm between Europe's best and United was laid bare when Barcelona took the first real chance on offer to them. At that point the tie was only heading in one direction.
Solskjaer's surprise
It wouldn't be a United team under Solskjaer without a surprise in it these days and he was true to recent form at the Nou Camp.
After United had put Diogo Dalot up for media duties on Monday it appeared certain he would start in one of the full-back positions, with Ashley Young taking the other. But this week's shock decision from Solskjaer was to hand Phil Jones what we all presumed would be a rare start at right-back. Instead it was Victor Lindelof who moved to that position, which was even more of a surprise given his form in the centre of defence this season.
The decision wasn't disastrous. Jones had a pretty tough time of things against Messi but he's not the first to suffer in that regard, while Lindelof was steady enough at right-back. It was certainly a surprise to see how United lined up.
Young
Talking of Dalot surely it is time for him to take over at right-back from Young. This was another disastrous night for United's captain, who was culpable for the first goal and looked panicked in possession after that.
It's hard to see how Young can remain United's starting right-back after recent displays. Dalot deserves the chance to show he can fulfil that role long-term before United turn to the transfer market.
Manchester United fans furious that Philippe Coutinho Liverpool FC warning was ignored
Manchester United fans demand new free kick taker after Barcelona performance
