Lille 1 Manchester United 0: If only a harangue from Roy Keane were enough to restore Manchester United. They were busy enough here but industry could not stave off this humbling defeat. Neither has it stopped Group D from turning into a worryingly tight affair.
Lille merited the win. United were reduced to despondency and, in Wayne Rooney's case, the petulant gesture that brought a late booking.
There is no minor tinkering that can rejuvenate United and major upheaval lies ahead. It will cast doubt on the future of Alex Ferguson and also show whether the Glazers have the means to nourish a club bought at such expense.
Only three minutes had elapsed when the supporters behind Edwin van der Sar's goal began bellowing Keane's name. And when the first rendition of "Keano" had died down another followed within two minutes.
Lille's goal, their first in the group, was traumatic since even a prophet might have failed to see it lurking. Seven minutes before the interval Rooney failed to cover and that was enough to prise the little opening that the French side had been failing to create for themselves.
Claude Puel's side were exact as they took advantage. Gregory Tafforeau laid the ball into the area from the left and, with Rio Ferdinand pulled away by Matt Moussilou's run, the former Tottenham midfielder Milenko Acimovic was free to avoid Wes Brown before steadying himself to drive high beyond Edwin van der Sar.
Until that incident, this match had been swamped by blandness. Given the distress of the 4-1 rout at Middlesbrough, United might have settled for a period of goalless recuperation in the first half.
The impact of Acimovic could not have been predicted and United, until then, would have fooled themselves into thinking a conservative approach was paying dividends.
The United line-up was not some sort of reprisal on those who let themselves be defeated so meekly at the Riverside. Paul Scholes was suspended and other changes reflected a change of tactics, with Park Ji-Sung losing out to the more conservative Kieran Richardson on the left of midfield. There had never been any true expectation Ferdinand would be displaced. Ferguson might have given the centre back the cold shoulder as he was substituted on Saturday, but giving him the elbow would have been rash.
The back four was kept in steady business as Lille strained while failing to hint at true creativity. The lone Moussilou, when he did have room to run directly after 35 minutes, was dealt with by Brown's strong tackle.
Moussilou and Geoffrey Dernis did worm their way into shooting positions on the verge of the area, but hammered their finishes high over. The delusion United were conducting themselves in a worldly manner was occasionally exposed all the same. When Ruud van Nistelrooy, Richardson and Cristiano Ronaldo linked smartly in the 25th minute, it was certainly no part of Mikael Silvestre's plan to end his surge conveniently close to the goalkeeper Tony Sylva.
Before the first game with Lille there had been remarks from the French camp that the present bunch at Old Trafford could not be compared with the squad of five years ago. That was the opposite of an inflammatory remark. If Ferguson snorted at all, it would only because Lille were understating the case.
United have been experiencing a near collapse rather than a gentle dip in their standards.
Van der Sar made a compelling save in the 53rd minute by stretching high to tip away a Tafforeau free-kick that appeared bound for the top corner.
Some fear had to be instilled in Lille and United did come exceeding close to equalising after 58 minutes.
Ronaldo attacked a Rooney corner and the ball flew off his shoulder and hit the underside of the bar before running clear off a Lille player on the goal-line.
Despite that, there is no mystery or ill-luck to their toiling. With a few experienced men injured there is not enough quality remaining for any sustained slickness and the lack of finesse on the wings in particular obliged Ferguson to bring on Park, with Richardson sacrificed.
United were industrious, but Lille showed they were capable of a second goal and Moussilou should have delivered it but headed over from seven yards.
LILLE: Sylva, Chalme, Tavlaridis, Schmitz, Tafforeau, Debuchy, Makoun, Bodmer, Dernis (Gygax 79), Moussilou (Odemwingie 84), Acimovic (Cabaye 76). Subs Not Used: Malicki, Fauverge, Plestan, Lichsteiner. Booked: Makoun, Tavlaridis, Tafforeau. Goals: Acimovic 38.
MAN UTD: Van der Sar, O'Shea, Ferdinand, Brown, Silvestre, Fletcher, Smith, Ronaldo (Rossi 89), Rooney, Richardson (Park 65), van Nistelrooy. Subs Not Used: Howard, Miller, Bardsley, Pique, Jones. Booked: Silvestre, Rooney.
Referee: Markus Merk (Germany).
