Edinson Cavani’s goal against Everton felt like big moment. The Uruguayan looked lethal as he tucked in the third goal to seal three points.
It should give Ole Gunnar Solskjaer a nudge too. It is time Manchester United got the club’s new signings more involved.
Fitness concerns and in one case, illness, have led to United’s three new first team signings barely featuring in the league so far.
Remarkably through seven Premier League matches, the number of starts made by a Manchester United summer signing sits at zero.
Cavani has only featured from the bench, Alex Telles has not figured at all, and Donny van de Beek also has only been called upon as a substitute.
This has to change
One concern over Cavani and Telles this upcoming break is that they both head to South America on long haul flights for international duty.
Cavani can be an upgrade on Anthony Martial – he already has more Premier League goals this season than the misfiring Frenchman.
Donny van de Beek is being under-utilised in midfield, and Alex Telles is due a run when and if he is fit again.
The injury suffered by Luke Shaw against Everton may accelerate Telles’ involvement.
Is Woodward partly responsible for United’s poor start?
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has to take some responsibility for United’s slow start to the season which sees United sitting in 14th place at the break, albeit with a game in hand.
One of his mistakes has been not to involve Donny van de Beek more, especially when others have been so hit and miss.
But you also have to look at the totality of the summer business and conclude that United did a poor job of strengthening.
Telles, Cavani and Van de Beek can be good signings, but it took far too long to get them in.
Van de Beek only had a week with the first team squad before the season began. He was available back in June.
Cavani was a free agent from July 1, and United left it until October 5 to bring him in.
Telles should have been a priority from the moment Luke Shaw got injured in early July.
The lateness of the deals also suggests one or more of them were back-up options, despite their quality.
Even so, United could look very different after the international break if all three are involved on a regular basis.
It is just a shame business could not have been conducted more efficiently in the summer. It has certainly held United back until now.
What is clear is that this run of no new signings starting a league game can’t continue. All three players deserve their chance to shine, and could finally kick into gear over the upcoming weeks.
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