Ralf Rangnick was raring to go after over a week of waiting, with the German poised to take charge for the first time since his interim appointment as his United side took on Patrick Vieira's Crystal Palace before an expectant Old Trafford crowd. With the United winless in three meetings against Palace on home turf, and closer to the Premier League bottom three than the head of the table as things stood, it was the perfect time for Rangnick to stamp his authority.
Much was made of the selection that Rangnick was to make, though the side revealed an hour prior to kickoff was unchanged. In the words of the man in charge, "The team won against Arsenal. They played well, especially in the second half. Since everyone was available and in good shape, I had no reason to change."
Diogo Dalot was once more a notable starter, with his performance against Arsenal enough to justify a maintenance of his starting spot ahead of the returning Aaron Wan-Bissaka. Nemanja Matic also returned to the bench having missed the midweek clash with the Gunners, though Jesse Lingard and Anthony Martial dropped out through injury.
"Jesse and Anthony indicated after training that they felt pain - this is the reason why they are not in the squad."
From the moment the whistle blew to indicate a start to proceedings, Rangnick was on the very edge of his technical area barking instructions. The start from his side followed suit to his energy on the touchline, with a surging start from the hosts. There were some high intensity forward moves from United, with a real sense of urgency within a display of quicker, more direct passing moves.
In the meantime, Rangnick's effect on the work out of possession was also prevalent. Despite only 45 minutes of training with the side after taking charge due to weather which Rangnick described as "not even Manchester weather", there was a genuine showcase of high pressing and structured closing down. Cutting passing lanes effectively was another key aspect of United's start, working in conjunction with their pressing to successfully regain possession on the majority of occasions.
Disorganisation was not such an ascendant feature of the United approach from the offset, with genuine discipline at the forefront during both attacking and defensive phases.
The system was trademark Rangnick. From the very first kick, it became apparent that the regular 4231 setup was being replaced by a 4222 on this Sunday afternoon. Back on the left hand side, Marcus Rashford was completely on the charge - though it was to the left of Cristiano Ronaldo as the Portuguese's partner in the front pair. Jadon Sancho was back on his natural right hand side, with Bruno Fernandes wide of Rashford on the opposite flank.
Nothing was set in stone with the setup, with the formation clearly fluid and interchangeable. Regardless, the organisation was consistently pristine and left United in control of proceedings. Control was the main focus in each and every one of Rangnick's interviews in the lead up to the match, and such dominance was immediately apparent as his first match commenced.
The magnitude of the authority asserted on proceedings was surely no coincidence. Rangnick was clearly determined to promptly get his word across, and there were instantaneous visual differences within the performance. It was refreshing to be able to easily be able to externally establish the manager's instructions.
A few early Palace onrushes did occur, though danger was always averted by United. At the opposite end, the biggest United opportunity came as Ronaldo's run in behind was picked out by a pinpoint Fernandes ball over the top, with Marc Guehi forced to intervene. Further half chances followed for Ronaldo, with extra width offered by the fullbacks helping to create space in behind. One cushioned header from Ronaldo saw him show to creative element to his game too, but compatriot Fernandes could only force a save from Vicente Guaita.
There were certainly openings for United to exploit. Palace were barely in the game, with United sustaining their supremacy through pummelling the visitors. The reds' ball retention was making it difficult for Vieira's side, though the hosts were marginally failing to take advantage. Nonetheless, the proactivity of Rangnick's men was causing Palace to hold on by the skin of their teeth. United looked revitalised, forcing their opponents right onto the edge.
Relentless is certainly a word that sums up United's opening half hour. Palace were limited by the high volume of United's showing, whilst structured buildup play left their defence a tough task. An impressive aspect of the United performance was the involvement of every single player, each given a very specific role; near enough every player found themselves predominantly positioned in the opposition half, with even the centre backs a crucial element in progression. The entire unit was functioning very effectively in a multitude of scenarios, with the high defensive line also enhancing United's ability to prevent Palace from breaking out themselves.
More than anything, Rangnick had quickly instilled an entertainment factor amidst the efficiency. Rather than passing backwards and sideways as a major feature of their performance, United were looking forward to a far greater extent. The fullbacks continued to provide a substantial outlet in an attacking sense, a vast contrast to the conservative approach in the latter stages of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's tenure. The use of this width was potent, with both Dalot on the right and Alex Telles on the left providing many teasing crosses. There was a serious sense that United could score at any given moment.
For once, there had been a sense of rhyme and reason about United's football, with a genuine aim behind their game. The fluency of the system was something of a marked improvement, enabling some brisk pass and move football. The plethora of 'give and go' exchanges epitomised the first half from a United standpoint. There were a multitude of creators providing a creative edge for the hosts, though execution was evasive from United.
The tempo was unabating from the home side, which did seem to take its toll towards the climax of the opening period as Palace failed to buckle under such extreme offensive pressure. As the half progressed into the depths, United's ability to break down a deep-lying defence continued to suffer a stern test. The visitors had done a sufficient job at nullifying the opposing onslaught, with the reds forced to merely settle into the game after such an aggressive start.
There was a noticeable diminishment in the absolute control from United as the break beckoned. Dalot hit narrowly wide on his left foot after combining well with Scott McTominay, cutting inside from the right channel before unleashing to mark the end of the first half. Palace could finally breath.
Those who watch United on a regular basis are no doubt unaccustomed to such a positive first half wave. The reds had produced their best first half of the season for passes ending in the final third, passes played into the final third, touches in the opposition’s box and passes into the opposition box. The efficiency of the pressure applied at times was shown by the first half season-high six times that possession was won in the final third by United.
Speaking after the match, Rangnick's hailed the first half: "I was positively surprised by the physical state and intensity, the first half hour was amazing. I felt it was extremely high tempo, high intensity, always on the front foot. The only thing missing in the first half hour was not scoring one, two or three goals."
Fernandes similarly credited the display up until the break: “Everyone knows the manager wants more pressing from us. The first 25 minutes was unbelievable. We could have scored so many in the first half."
It's true, United could certainly have scored on more than on occasion. However, they didn't make benefit of their control and came into the second half with the scoreline all square.
To be frank, the start of the second period was very non-eventful. A collation of being unused to such high intensity football and having less than three days since beating Arsenal on Thursday night saw fatigue begin to ravage and take its toll. The requirement of a change was blatant shortly into the second 45 minute period, swiftly acknowledged as Rangnick showed good judgement to withdraw Sancho and introduce Mason Greenwood as a straight swap for his first appearance since contracting Covid-19.
Sancho had been lively and a considerable creator again for United, but his accumulation of recent minutes after a bit-part start to the season meant it was sensible to protect him ahead of the congested festive period. As the onset of tiredness grew, chances had grown limited and an extra spark was needed across the front four.
United became increasingly frustrated as questions over their suitability to Rangnick's high energy ethos - by way of fitness - grew. The second half commenced in a very flat manner, with United growing wasteful in direct proportion to them growing leggy. The overall structure still limited Palace, though the hosts grew less effective in attack.
Following on from Telles skimming the bar from a wide freekick, it was Palace who had the biggest chance of the game. James Tompkins beat Telles in the air from a deep corner, with Jordan Ayew only able to fire across the face of goal at the back post. It was a golden opportunity to take the lead.
A wildcard involvement in the United squad had been Anthony Elanga, who was reported to have impressed Rangnick in the interim manager's early training sessions. The Swede's energy is something that the German is sure to admire, with the youngster granted around 15 minutes on the pitch having replaced Rashford.
I'm not sure it can be put directly down to Elanga's addition, but United eventually took the lead soon after his introduction. It has to be admitted, their overall foothold on the game certainly allowed them to warrant the advantage.
Of all people, it was Fred to convert. Once again, the Brazilian had been sensational in the middle of the park - a standout performer. The goal stemmed from more excellent modern fullback play from Dalot, driving inside from the right and opening Palace up with an incisive ball to Greenwood. The substitute showed great awareness to knock the ball back to Fred on the edge of the box, with the midfielder looping to ball into the far side of the net on his weaker right foot.
"I had to ask my assistant coach if that was Fred's right foot, I thought he could only shoot with his left."
It was fair too say the finish surprised Rangnick, who credited Fred as a "wonderful boy" who is "great" to have in the team. “Everybody loves Fred, you have to love Fred. I've got to know him for only two days now, but he's a sunshine."
Both the much-doubted technical elements as well as the defensive aspects of his game were on display again. United's 77 passes into the final third against Palace was the most they have managed in a Premier League game so far this season, with Fred having a hand in 10 of those amidst his 95 touches of the ball. Whilst McTominay is superior in stature, it was Fred who was the overwhelmingly dominant figure in the midfield.
Fred won 10 duels on Sunday afternoon, double the total managed by his midfield partner. The Brazilian made a further seven tackles and seven ball recoveries, epitomising his constant development in pressing efficiency.
It's clear he's a popular figure in the dressing room too, as evidenced by Fernandes: "Fred has these moments, one shot per year! Everyone is happy for him because he's such a nice guy. He works a lot and people don't talk about him. He deserves the praise."
It must be mentioned how influential Dalot was too, a notable performer in tandem with Fred. He was a key element of United's structure in progression, with his vision and general quality on the ball key in completing nine long passes and two crosses throughout the match. His pass accuracy of 88% was exemplary given the proportion played forward towards the final third, with Dalot actually completing the match with the highest amount off passes into the box with five. At the opposite end of his game, he managed six ball recoveries, three tackles and a single interception with his exertion of pressure on the opposition. He has been on the fringes, but suggests he is "ready" to step up. You can tell.
On the other side, Telles was a prominent figure. His attacking game has never been queried, but his 11 tackles and interceptions proved wrong those who doubted the defensive element of his game.
Anyway, United held on after the goal finally came. They sat deep but were sufficiently compact to deny Palace's pressure in injury time. United were forced to defend set pieces at the climax, with both Ronaldo and late substitute Donny van de Beek forced to defend from corners. By the final whistle, Palace had been contained.
United kept their first clean sheet at Old Trafford in 15 matches, stemming back to facing Granada in April. There was evidently some form of instant impact from Rangnick on the defensive side of things, that is certain. United won possession in the final third 12 times vs Palace, topping their previous league-high of seven against Newcastle and Arsenal. In fact, it’s the highest total they’ve managed in the Premier League since Sir Alex Ferguson retired. It wasn't just sitting compact, it was defending from the front.
Rangnick was quick to say he "was very pleased with the way we played."
"The way we defended, we had control of the whole game, the clean sheet was the most important part. These are the things we must improve. We need to keep clean sheets. It's always easier to build on things after you're successful. We must produce further clean sheets and get better at creating chances for our attack."
"It's all about proactively playing and defending, and we were always proactive today. We have to do it step by step - talking to the players, showing them video footage, explaining to them how they would benefit from this kind of football."
"We kept patience, and in the second half we deserved to win."
Rangnick wanted his side to impose authority on games, and they did just that. Their dominance was evidenced by their 61% possession, but the use of the ball was vastly improved and at a much higher tempo too. There was a drop in performance as tiredness took its toll for the unchanged side in the second half, but early indications are hugely positive. Considering he had only one proper training session, the changes (for the good) were very impressive. There was clear identity behind the side, already.
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