Get the latest United transfer window updates, pre-season news and analysis delivered straight to your inbox every day for free It was only 45 minutes and Everton were so lifeless they were still on staycation but Manchester United's formation tweak was a success.
What began as a 4-2-3-1 morphed into a 4-3-3. Nemanja Matic dropped so deep he was almost on David de Gea's toes and, on the five occasions Matic received the ball from De Gea, Donny van de Beek's instinct was to move away from his midfield partner.
The United midfielders exchanged 22 passes and Matic was particularly pivotal in the walkover. James Rodriguez, a luxury in competitive matches, was left on his backside by the fleet-footed Serbian.
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