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WAYNE ROONEY could find himself out of the two biggest competitions of his season by this afternoon. His misses last night contributed to Manchester United's shock exit from the Champions League and tumble into the Europa League. And if a panel in Nyon do not look favourably upon the England striker this morning when he pleads for a reduction of his three-game Euro 2012 ban, he might not figure in that at all. The flight back with the rest of his United team-mates promises to be a grim one no matter what, with United out of the Champions League at the group stage for only the second time since 1994. Exactly six years to the day it last happened in 2005 when they went down 2-1 to Benfica to finish bottom of their group. But everyone connected with the club was quite happy when this group draw came out of the hat in Monaco back in August. In the end, their six games brought just two wins � and both against minnows Otelul Galati. Last night's defeat was United's first away from home since losing to Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals two season's ago. Yet it was a home draw with Benfica and particularly the one at Old Trafford with Basel after leading 2-0 that has done for them. Now they too will have to suffer the taunts of 'Thursday night channel 5' as they enter the unchartered territory of the Europa League. And this for a club who have contested three of the last four Champions League finals. Unthinkable, yet it could be a rethink is needed and a major dive into the transfer market if United are going to reclaim their place as European champions. Amid it all, Rooney cut the most dejected of figures. This is a player made for the biggest of platforms yet this season he made it up only the first steps of one and may not even appear with England on another. He is struggling right now and has not scored from open play in the league for United since September 18 in the 3-1 defeat of Chelsea. That was during a purple patch when he hit successive hat-tricks against Arsenal and Bolton, banging in nine goals in six games. Since then, he has mustered just three goals, two being penalties, all against Romanians Otelul Galati. It is not just Rooney but the whole team who have gone off the boil since that early-season promise. A derby drubbing has led to a five-point gap opening up between them and neighbours Manchester City in the Premier League. And let's not forget they were dumped out the Carling Cup last week by Crystal Palace. Now this. There was a moment near the end when Rooney just looked defeated as he stayed out on the wing rather than pile into the box as United tried to perform some last-gasp heroics. Rio Ferdinand was shouting at him asking him why? Rooney knew the game was up. He had been pushed around all night with little protection but he had also wasted some fine chances. Chances that needed to be taken after United fell behind in the ninth minute as David De Gea produced some more erratic goalkeeping. Xherdan Shaqiri fired a low cross into the six-yard box and De Gea just stuck out a foot deflecting the ball out to the unmarked Marco Streller to fire gleefully back past him. Skipper Nemanja Vidic quickly remonstrated with De Gea, no doubt asking what he was doing. Rooney had his golden chance to equalise on the half hour as Nani delivered the cross from the right and Rooney was there unmarked three yards out. He swung his right boot, but missed the ball as it bounced sideways off his standing left leg. Rooney had a chance of redemption five minutes late. A wonderful reverse pass from Ryan Giggs put him in but his shot was weak and easily gathered by Sommer. The real Rooney powers on to those balls and leaves the goalkeeper grasping at thin air. Giggs would supply him with another chance just after the break but Rooney curled his shot wide of the far post. Basel's goal frame would rock in the 66th minute when Markus Steinhofer walloped a clearance off his own bar. But it would be United's net that bulged again when the home side added a second in the 84th minute as Alexander Frei stooped at the far post to head home. Phil Jones scrambled one back in the 89th minute but there would be no last-gasp heroics to grab a point as there had been at Old Trafford. No, the joy was Basel's, the exit United's. DREAM TEAM STAR MAN � XHERDAN SHAQIRI (Basel) MAN UTD: De Gea 5, Smalling 6, Vidic 6 (Evans 6), Ferdinand 6, Evra 5, Park 5 (Macheda 6), Giggs 7, Jones 6, Nani 6, Young 6 (Welbeck 6), Rooney 6. Subs not used: Lindegaard, Fletcher, Valencia, Gibson. Booked: Young, Evra.