Set-piece goals often feel as though they are made on the training pitch. When Casemiro volleyed in a Christian Eriksen free kick, it may have come from Carrington, but it was made in midfield, forged in a recruitment strategy that had failed Manchester United in too many previous transfer windows, created by Erik ten Hag.
There was a certain symbolism but they did not need to combine for a goal for their impact to be apparent. Ten Hag’s transformation of the club can be seen through the prism of Marcus Rashford’s form, or the way a disciplinarian has raised standards or simply the results as United, pointless after two games, now have a manager being asked if his team are title contenders. Or it could be seen in the sense that they have a midfield again.
