It was, much like his team’s attempts to rescue the game, a bit desperate.

After Manchester United’s sorry Champions League elimination to Sevilla, Jose Mourinho came out with the following: “I don't want to make a drama of it,” the Portuguese said. “That’s football, it is not the end of the world. I've sat in this chair twice before. With Porto - Manchester United out. With Real Madrid - Manchester United out. So this is nothing new for this football club.”

This was typical Mourinho, in so many ways. He is, of course, right. He did knock out United with Porto and Real, in what felt such a transparent attempt to remind everyone that, hang on, he is great. It’s just a pity the football doesn’t quite remind people in the same way any more. Such references instead remind people of what used to be; what has changed.

Manchester United v Sevilla player ratings Show all 23 1 /23 Manchester United v Sevilla player ratings Manchester United v Sevilla player ratings Manchester United 1 Sevilla 2 How did we rate the players on a drab night at Old Trafford? Getty Manchester United v Sevilla player ratings David de Gea: 7 out of 10 The hero of the first leg was again one of United's better performers, but should a keeper of his quality have done better with Sevilla's second? Getty Manchester United v Sevilla player ratings Antonio Valencia: 6 out of 10 Failed to offer any of his usual surging runs down the right. Getty Manchester United v Sevilla player ratings Eric Bailly: 6 out of 10 Responsible for two excellent interceptions that denied Sevilla the lead long before it eventually came. Getty Manchester United v Sevilla player ratings Chris Smalling: 6 out of 10 A steady presence for the most part but guilty of concentration lapses in both boxes. Getty Manchester United v Sevilla player ratings Ashley Young: 6 out of 10 Similar to Valencia, he held firm at the back but did not contribute to United attacks. Getty Manchester United v Sevilla player ratings Marouane Fellaini: 6 out of 10 Afforded his first start since November, the Belgian struggled to get going - yet still forced United's best effort before his removal on the hour. Getty Manchester United v Sevilla player ratings Nemanja Matic: 6 out of 10 Left to cover an often open midfield, he struggled to make his usual impact. Getty Manchester United v Sevilla player ratings Marcus Rashford: 6 out of 10 Unable to follow up his heroics from the weekend; he showed plenty of skill but his finishing was below par. Getty Manchester United v Sevilla player ratings Jesse Lingard: 5 out of 10 Brought back into the side, he showed a few (far too few) nice touches and almost scored at the start of the second half. Getty Manchester United v Sevilla player ratings Alexis Sanchez: 5 out of 10 His struggles continued on a night where he offered little to the United cause. Getty Manchester United v Sevilla player ratings Romelu Lukaku: 6 out of 10 Worked hard but was given little in the way of service. His late goal barely papered over a poor team performance. Getty Manchester United v Sevilla player ratings Sergio Rico: 7 out of 10 Showed strong hands and made smart saves. Deserved a clean sheet at the end of it. Getty Manchester United v Sevilla player ratings Gabriel Mercado: 6 out of 10 The right-back competed well, often coming inside to double up on Sanchez. Getty Manchester United v Sevilla player ratings Simon Kjaer: 7 out of 10 Returning after a back injury, the Danish defender held firm as United attempted to build pressure. Getty Manchester United v Sevilla player ratings Clement Lenglet: 7 out of 10 The young French defender enjoyed the physical dual with Lukaku. Getty Manchester United v Sevilla player ratings Sergio Escudero: 7 out of 10 Kept pace with Rashford when the United man attempted to trick his way forward. Getty Manchester United v Sevilla player ratings Ever Banega: 8 out of 10 Survived an early booking to excel in the centre; demonstrated a great range of passing. Getty Manchester United v Sevilla player ratings Steven N'Zonzi: 7 out of 10 The former Stoke and Blackburn midfielder was back bossing midfields in England. A strong presence in front of the Sevilla defence. Getty Manchester United v Sevilla player ratings Pablo Sarabia: 7 out of 10 Found plenty of room throughout, most notably to provide a fine through ball for Ben Yedder's opener. Getty Manchester United v Sevilla player ratings Franco Vazquez: 7 out of 10 Supported Muriel in attack, and showed willing to drop back to help his midfield when needed. Getty Manchester United v Sevilla player ratings Joaquin Correa: 7 out of 10 Troubled United with his movement in the final third and laid on Sevilla's second. Getty Manchester United v Sevilla player ratings Luis Muriel: 6 out of 10 A decent outlet for counter attacks, he kept United busy before making way for Ben Yedder. Getty

United have also been knocked out at similar stages, by worse teams than Sevilla. Sir Alex Ferguson went out of the Champions League in the group stages to IFK Gothenburg, to Benfica, to Basel. But he never went out as feebly as this, as reticent as this, as transparently unwilling to make use of the club’s resources as this.

There was dysfunction at United at such times. There was not such dismally feeble football.

Mourinho’s approach seemed so painfully obvious. Having talked up the 0-0 away from home in the first leg, it was as if the United boss just wanted to grind the game down to nick a goal and go through.

That is the plan that has worked for him in the past, with financially less-resourced sides. Some in the game refer to it as “the football of the weak” because it ultimately comes down to trying to limit the superior abilities of the opposition; trying to strangle the game.

It should not be necessary at Manchester United, and especially against an inconsistent and poor Sevilla. It also isn’t that effective in the game any more, especially at such a level.

This cuts to the core of why Mourinho might have been the wrong choice for United; why they made such a conservative decision; why they are so far off the pace in the Premier League and that actually has nothing to do with Manchester City’s billions.

United were dumped out of the Champions League with barely any resistance (Getty)

Ever since Pep Guardiola took over Barcelona and Spain simultaneously won Euro 2008, the game has changed. Their football changed things. It became more expansive. It became more technical, about maximising your own abilities.

This went right down to youth level. So many coaches you speak to talk about how the emphasis on defenders - to use perhaps the most pointedly relevant position - became about playing the ball rather than winning the ball.

That has permeated the sport, but is also illustrated in the numbers. Ever since Guardiola’s appointment in 2008, the average goals-per-game in the Champions League knock-out stages has shot up from around 2.5 to 2.9. That is a big jump.

That is a big reason why Mourinho’s fundamental approach is outdated. It is analogue football in a digital world, and in a world where Guardiola’s sophistication is 4k.

United offered nothing of note in both legs (Getty)

Sevilla’s Simon Kjaer was dispassionately dismissive of United’s approach after the game, pointing to how they knew United would create chances “by coincidence”. By coincidence, rather than creation, or co-ordination.

Why did Mourinho feel the need to attack for around just six minutes of the 180? Why not just *play*? What should have been one of those classic European nights at Old Trafford instead became a humiliation.

It also goes even deeper than what works in the modern game. It’s about the game itself.

Even though United are ahead of Tottenham and Liverpool in the table, there just isn’t the same buzz about them, there isn’t the same excitement… there isn’t the same identity.

Mourinho attempted to defend United's performance (Getty)

Mourinho has been at United for a year and a half now, and do we really know what his best team is? Do we really know what the approach is?

When Liverpool and Spurs fans go to a game, there is a proper excitement about what might happen. There is a buzz.

Is there any of that with United? There is only an expectation that we’ll hear the same old grumbling, the same old complaints, the same old themes from the last 14 years. It's all so tedious, like the football.

Sure, Mourinho beat Klopp on Saturday, but that showed what he’s best at: reacting to superior sides. Tuesday showed what he’s worst at: an inability to take the game to inferior sides. A staple of United.

There should by this point be no talk about players letting him down. The approach let them down.

It’s still of course possible that Mourinho might win a league at United. It’s not impossible, they’re wealthy enough. But is this good enough?

The Portuguese was right in that defeats can happen, anyone can go out. But this was not some play-the-numbers elimination by an unlucky bounce. It was a consequence of Mourinho’s timorous approach.

It used to be the approach that won things, as he so willingly pointed out with references to Porto and Real.