The first strains of the familiar Anthony Martial chant came from the Stretford End midway through the first-half.
United fans sang: “Tony Martial came from France, the English Press said he had no chance, £50million down the drain, Tony Martial scores again.'
While the last part was not strictly true, the acclaim for Martial was warranted, given the role he played in United's first two goals, in particular the second.
With Marcus Rashford out for the next few games with a muscle problem, this was Martial's chance to prove his worth and fill the void left with the enforced absence of United's top scorer.
Martial has himself been a hostage to injury for much of this season, a familiar story for much of his underwhelming United career, following his £36million – rising to £58m – arrival from Monaco in 2015.
Since announcing himself with a sublime solo goal on his debut against Liverpool, Martial has flattered to deceive, injuries and a questionable mentality ultimately holding him back from fulfilling his undoubted potential.
He spent the second half of last season on loan at last night's opponents Sevilla, but returned to United in the summer after a solitary goal in 12 appearances in Spain.
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Despite his inability to stay fit for any length of time this season, Erik ten Hag has publicly defended Martial, insisting United are a better team when the 27-year-old is playing.
Ten Hag endorsed that argument by pointing to the fact that Martial started both of United's wins over Liverpool and Manchester City, two of their best performances this season.
Last night, Martial was determined to back up his manager's glowing endorsement. His quick feet near the touchline bamboozled Sevilla, ensured United kept possession and set in motion the move that led to the opener, scored by Marcel Sabitzer.
United's second owed everything to Martial's awareness, pace and intelligence, picking the ball up inside his own half, surging forward before checking back inside and then playing a sublime ball through to Sabitzer, who duly scored his second.
The key question with Martial is whether or not he can stay fit. If he can, United have a gifted player who can bring an extra dimension to their attack and strengthen their push for Europa League and FA Cup glory, as well as securing a top-four finish.
