Ole Gunnar Solskjaer took responsibility for Manchester United's damaging Champions League exit on a night when his side "didn't turn up" until it was too late against RB Leipzig.
Things had gone awry after a stunning start to Group H but the Red Devils only needed a point at last season's semi-finalists - a side they beat 5-0 just six weeks ago - to secure progress to the knockout phase.
But Europa League football now awaits United having fallen just short of a remarkable European comeback at Leipzig, where Angelino, on loan from Manchester City, and Amadou Haidara scored within the opening 13 minutes.
Substitute Justin Kluivert added a third in the second half and it proved too big of a hole for Solskjaer's comeback kings to climb out of, with Bruno Fernandes and Paul Pogba scoring late goals in a galling 3-2 defeat.
"We didn't perform as a team well enough and that's always the manager's responsibility, to get everyone ready," the United boss said.
"We knew they were going to come at us, we knew they were going to put crosses in the box and unfortunately we conceded two goals and we never got going.
"In games earlier (this season) when we've conceded the first goal, we've played pretty well.
"Today we just didn't turn up until they scored the second goal. Suddenly then we started playing again.
"We had one chance maybe at 1-0 - Mason (Greenwood) had a good chance there - but after 2-0 we started playing.
"Second half was one-way traffic more or less and the one chance they had, they managed to score.
"So, 3-0 is going to be difficult but they all gave everything, very good character, effort. I can't fault anyone and we were close to getting the third.
"That would have been some achievement against a good team like Leipzig."
United put in a five-star display in the reverse fixture at Old Trafford in October, just a week after winning 2-1 at last season's runners-up Paris St Germain.
But the shock defeat at Istanbul Basaksehir ultimately proved a key moment in the group, as did the unwise decision to leave Fred walking a tightrope before his inevitable red card in last week's 3-1 home defeat to PSG.
United only needed a point from that match or this trip to Germany to reach the last 16, but failure to do so means an unwanted return to the Europa League awaits.
"We did everything we normally do in preparation," Solskjaer said, having dismissed suggestions that comments from Pogba's agent on the eve of the game were a distraction.
"With the video meetings, the training sessions, recovery with all the games we've got. Of course we know that everyone wants to be up for a game like this, everyone's ready for a game like this.
"The season we are playing and the demands on the players, sometimes it maybe takes them 10 or 15 minutes to get going.
"Today they scored two good goals. Maybe the referee should have done something with the second one with the push in Alex (Telles) back.
"Maybe we were not streetwise enough. Maybe he should have dropped and fallen on the floor because he gets pushed in the back.
"The first one is something that we prepared for and was not good enough.
"I think back and look at this season and look at the players and I actually admire them for being as ready as they are at times.
"Today it just didn't work for us. It is a difficult season, there are difficult circumstances this year and of course we were up for it and the character and effort I can't fault."
Tuesday's result means Leipzig progress to the last 16 at United's expense, much to the delight of coach Julian Nagelsmann.
"It was really intense at the end, but we played a good game for long spells," he said.
"The players implemented our plan well, especially in the first half.
"The boys fought hard. I said before the game that they are machines and they showed that again tonight."
The Light of the Moon
Director: Jessica M Thompson
Starring: Stephanie Beatriz, Michael Stahl-David
Three stars
APPLE IPAD MINI (A17 PRO)
Display: 21cm Liquid Retina Display, 2266 x 1488, 326ppi, 500 nits
Chip: Apple A17 Pro, 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine
Storage: 128/256/512GB
Main camera: 12MP wide, f/1.8, digital zoom up to 5x, Smart HDR 4
Front camera: 12MP ultra-wide, f/2.4, Smart HDR 4, full-HD @ 25/30/60fps
Biometrics: Touch ID, Face ID
Colours: Blue, purple, space grey, starlight
In the box: iPad mini, USB-C cable, 20W USB-C power adapter
Price: From Dh2,099
THE SPECS
Engine: 3-litre V6
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 424hp
Torque: 580 Nm
Price: From Dh399,000
On sale: Now
Walls
Louis Tomlinson
3 out of 5 stars
(Syco Music/Arista Records)
If you go:
Getting there:
Flying to Guyana requires first reaching New York with either Emirates or Etihad, then connecting with JetBlue or Caribbean Air at JFK airport. Prices start from around Dh7,000.
Getting around:
Wildlife Worldwide offers a range of Guyana itineraries, such as its small group tour, the 15-day ‘Ultimate Guyana Nature Experience’ which features Georgetown, the Iwokrama Rainforest (one of the world’s four remaining pristine tropical rainforests left in the world), the Amerindian village of Surama and the Rupununi Savannah, known for its giant anteaters and river otters; wildlifeworldwide.com
Leading all-time NBA scorers
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 38,387
Karl Malone 36,928
Kobe Bryant 33,643
Michael Jordan 32,292
LeBron James 31,425
Wilt Chamberlain 31,419
EMIRATES'S%20REVISED%20A350%20DEPLOYMENT%20SCHEDULE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEdinburgh%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20November%204%20%3Cem%3E(unchanged)%3C%2Fem%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EBahrain%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20November%2015%20%3Cem%3E(from%20September%2015)%3C%2Fem%3E%3B%20second%20daily%20service%20from%20January%201%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EKuwait%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20November%2015%20%3Cem%3E(from%20September%2016)%3C%2Fem%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EMumbai%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20January%201%20%3Cem%3E(from%20October%2027)%3C%2Fem%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EAhmedabad%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20January%201%20%3Cem%3E(from%20October%2027)%3C%2Fem%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EColombo%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20January%202%20%3Cem%3E(from%20January%201)%3C%2Fem%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EMuscat%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cem%3E%20%3C%2Fem%3EMarch%201%3Cem%3E%20(from%20December%201)%3C%2Fem%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ELyon%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20March%201%20%3Cem%3E(from%20December%201)%3C%2Fem%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EBologna%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20March%201%20%3Cem%3E(from%20December%201)%3C%2Fem%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cem%3ESource%3A%20Emirates%3C%2Fem%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs: 2018 Chevrolet Trailblazer
Price, base / as tested Dh99,000 / Dh132,000
Engine 3.6L V6
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Power 275hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque 350Nm @ 3,700rpm
Fuel economy combined 12.2L / 100km
If you go
The Flights
Emirates and Etihad fly direct to Johannesburg from Dubai and Abu Dhabi respectively. Economy return tickets cost from Dh2,650, including taxes.
The trip
Worldwide Motorhoming Holidays (worldwidemotorhomingholidays.co.uk) operates fly-drive motorhome holidays in eight destinations, including South Africa. Its 14-day Kruger and the Battlefields itinerary starts from Dh17,500, including campgrounds, excursions, unit hire and flights. Bobo Campers has a range of RVs for hire, including the 4-berth Discoverer 4 from Dh600 per day.
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
MATCH INFO
Serie A
Juventus v Fiorentina, Saturday, 8pm (UAE)
Match is on BeIN Sports
Director: Paul Weitz
Stars: Kevin Hart
3/5 stars
PROFILE OF HALAN
Started: November 2017
Founders: Mounir Nakhla, Ahmed Mohsen and Mohamed Aboulnaga
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport and logistics
Size: 150 employees
Investment: approximately $8 million
Investors include: Singapore’s Battery Road Digital Holdings, Egypt’s Algebra Ventures, Uber co-founder and former CTO Oscar Salazar