CSKA Moscow 1 Manchester United 1 reaction: Five things we learned from the Champions League clash

Anthony Martial is fallible after all and more...

Anthony Martial tears away from Wayne Rooney after scoring Manchester United's equaliser (Getty Images)

Anthony Martial is fallible after all

After playing themselves into the game nicely during the first fifteen minutes, all Manchester United’s hard work went to waste with a moment of madness by Anthony Martial, whose handball led to CSKA’s penalty.

The young Frenchman seemed to have been bailed out by a terrific David De Gea stop, down low to his right, but Seydou Doumbia followed the rebound in.

Ultimately, although Martial conceded the spot-kick, United’s defenders could have been much quicker off their mark once it had been saved and prevented Doumbia’s opener. It was the first moment of Martial’s Old Trafford career that will stick in the craw.

… but United supporters will forgive him

Martial’s streak of four games without a goal ended mid-way through the second half. His header from some considerable distance showed arguably as much technique as those Henry-esque finishes that he began his Old Trafford career with.

Supporters can be sure of two things. Firstly, as a young forward, he will make mistakes like he did tonight and his performance level will drop again, as it did in the last few weeks.

Secondly, he will produce important goals at just the right time and all else will be forgiven. At a tender age, Martial is already turning into a big game player.

Antonio Valencia can still cross

Loftus Road, 17 January. Manchester United win, just, against a relegation embattled Queens Park Rangers side. That day, Antonio Valencia went home with an assist to his name, having set up Marouane Fellaini’s opener.

Until tonight, when he needlessly replaced Matteo Darmian in the starting line-up, he had not assisted once since.

In that time, the quality of his crossing has become a running joke around Old Trafford. It may have produced a goal tonight but his assist record, particularly for a player who once possessed the number 7 shirt, was not good enough before this game and is not good enough still.

The Ecuadorian can still cross, he can still assist. If Van Gaal has some nous, he will only give him the opportunity to when it is absolutely necessary.

Herrera might start but that doesn’t mean he’ll be involved

It says a lot that Ander Herrera’s place in the starting line-up was in doubt despite his impressive showing against Everton at the weekend.

The energetic midfielder has found it hard to impress Van Gaal for time immemorial but tonight showed that, even when he plays, he may not be used correctly.

Too often during their lacklustre first-half, United’s play bypassed their central playmaker. In the second, as part of a formation which did not isolate him, he was at the heart of his side’s best forward play.

It's not enough for Van Gaal to simply play United's most dynamic midfield talent. He must also play to his strengths.

Expect inconsistency

An away point in the Champions League group stage is rarely a bad result but, make no bones about it, the visitors wanted three, especially after Saturday’s performance at Goodison Park.

It seems like this is the trend in United’s season so far. Swash-buckling wins are soon followed by questionable performances and, at worst, debilitating defeats. Tonight’s display fell into the former category but could easily have come under the latter.