Manchester United 3-0 Tottenham: Five thoughts

1. Fellaini and Rooney

With United's best performance of the season came Fellaini's best performance in a United shirt. Not only was he directly involved in two of the three goals, he was confident steaming forward, winning everything in the air and generally causing Tottenham's midfield and defense a real problem all afternoon. It is no coincidence that Fellaini's excellent game allowed the players around him to play with confidence as well - Rooney especially, who was so assured in the centre forward role, linking up brilliantly with Fellaini and Carrick. Surely no doubt now for LVG as to where his best position is now.

2. Carrick

Another superb performance from a player that United have desperately missed this season. Kept out of the side largely due to injury, this was only Carrick's 13th start in the league (and first goal of the season) - yet with such a difficult run of games we'll all be praying that he can now remain fit and continue influencing matches in the same way he did yesterday.

3. Young

I feel Young's contribution in the game will be overlooked as the three goalscorers highlighted above will steal the headlines. Yet for some time now, whether those hater's still infatuated by Young's history of diving like it or not, he has been United's best player. His ball control and awareness is brilliant (some nice link-up play with Blind yesterday), while his pace and tempo influenced United's urgency and attacking approach in that frantic first half.

4. Di Maria

No Angel, yet plenty to cheer about as United put in their best performance of what has been an uninspiring and hugely disappointing season so far. Di Maria therefore, given the weight of expectation that came with acquiring such a world class (and expensive) player, is a strong representation of that. What was expected to be the signing of the summer - a rare occasion in which United signed an incredibly talented player who has already proven his ability while playing for a different, bigger club - has defined United's season: high hopes and promise that has evaporated into poor and ultimately un-united football.



It feels strange to follow the above paragraph using the term "selection dilemma" when talking about Di Maria returning from his one match ban to face Liverpool this weekend, however I fear van Gaal will do the obvious thing rather than brave thing and that is to reintroduce Di Maria into the side and therefore disrupt the midfield trio of Young, Fellaini and Mata who were all brilliant yesterday.

5. The 'Philosophy'

...on that note, shall we instead finally just have faith in our manager and assume that the philosophy he has been banging on about since he joined United has finally been revealed? With an even bigger test coming on Sunday with our trip to Anfield, lets hope yesterday's result and performance is a sign of things to come rather than the "fluke" the media will have you believe it was.