Percy Tau got to play at Old Trafford on Thursday but the experience proved anything but a dream for the Bafana Bafana hero.

His Belgian outfit Club Brugge were unceremoniously dumped out of the Uefa Europa League as Manchester United thumped them 5-0 for a 6-1 aggregate triumph in the last-32.

Tau was chosen to lead the attack along with Nigerian David Okereke but the pair made little impression.

The visitors saw their Ivory Coast midfielder Simon Deli handle the ball in his own penalty area after just 22 minutes to give away a spot-kick and be sent off to tip the balance firmly in the Red Devils’ favour. It was all downhill after that.

“Where is the player Tau that we saw at the start of the season‚” cried the Belgian newspaper Het Nieuwsblad on Friday morning.

“Nothing is working any more. He lost every ball‚” it added and gave him a poor three out of 10 for his performance.

Het Laatse Nieuws were a little less scathing but only gave Tau a four for his 62 minutes on the field

“His intentions were good but his execution less so. The speedy [Manchester United full back] Luke Shaw put him in his pocket and blunted him and he went off early‚” they wrote.

Tau would have been closely watched by his parent club Brighton and Hove Albion‚ who must make a decision at the end of the season on whether to bring him to the Premier league.

They bought him from Mamelodi Sundowns but have parked him for the last 18 months in Belgium‚ first in the second division at Union St Gilloise‚ where he was plainly too good‚ and now at top-flight leaders Brugge‚ where his initially positive impression has given away to protracted spells on the bench.

Had Tau put on a better showing at Old Trafford it might have played a role have convincing Brighton that he is ready for the Premier League next season.

Defeat ends Brugge’s European adventure stage and leaves them now clear to focus on the Belgian league and cup double.

They are runaway leaders in the league and have booked a place in the cup final against Antwerp on March 22.

Making sure he gets to play in the cup final will be Tau’s next task over the coming weeks.