Manchester United put in another workmanlike performance that owed less to guile and more to grit.
There were a few fizzing passing moves which reminded us of a Manchester United in their heyday.
But, for now, the fans will have to content themselves with the fact that this United team is far more defensively solid than last year.
This Manchester United team will certainly not concede many goals this season, even if they don’t sign another centre back.
Because, in Schneiderlin, Carrick and Schweinsteiger, who gave a really impressive thirty minute cameo, they have the perfect shield for their defence.
The Frenchman was one of the stand out performers for Manchester United on Friday evening. Although several of his passes went astray again he showed enough energy, tackling ability and dynamism to again suggest that he will be a great player for United.
Further forward Juan Mata also made mistakes. But he was also Manchester United’s chief creator and did far more right than he did wrong. We still can’t help but feel that his best work is done in the middle of the park however.
But, for our money, the best player on the pitch was Matteo Darmian.
Since joining the club he has grown with every game and now looks like a fully fledged Gary Neville successor – but with even more going forward.
Darmian: Quick
Darmian was superb in the tackle. He never gave away cheap fouls – the like of which we saw so often with Valencia and Da Silva – and got forward at every opportunity.
His passing has improved and he made some absolutely crucial interventions at the back.
Damian is fast becoming the ultimate safe pair of hands for United.
Many are talking up the midfield acquisitions as the smartest of Manchester United’s summer.
But Louis has undoubtedly sorted out the right back berth and Darmian could turn out to be the find of the window.
