Manchester United's first-half performance against Newcastle United could only be described as poor. They struggled to get control of the game against a team that had only won a single game in the Premier League this season before this fixture.
Scott McTominay and Fred were tasked with their now iconic roles that still remain even in Ralf Rangnick's 4-2-2-2 formation, and though they were some of the only United players who looked to have some understanding of their jobs while on the pitch, the old demons of their inability to control possession that they had suffered from under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer once again reared their ugly head.
Newcastle had the best chances and looked the most dangerous and direct and won possession back on a more regular basis than a United side that seemed utterly devoid of ideas for most of the match.
And United problems in midfield only seemed to be highlighted even more by the fact that the best midfielder on the pitch was £40 million striker, Joelinton, who was labelled a 'flop' by rival fans and even his own.
Joelinton won possession back, ran into space to regularly create passing opportunities, and dribbled past opposition players to progress the ball forward.
Bar his yellow card for complaining to the referee about a late challenge; it was a perfect performance from the Brazilian who has seemingly reinvented himself after being written off under Steve Bruce.
And it will have shown Rangnick how important it is for United to finally sign a defensive midfielder in the January window as it is clear that even under a new manager, the problems are still going to be there unless upgrades are made. I think maybe the German realised it when he subbed Fred at half-time.
United have been linked with a move for several midfielders. Amadou Haidara from RB Leipzig has been a name that has been linked with a move to United, where he would link up with the man who signed him for the German club.
Haidara would be the most natural fit for Rangnick's system as he is used to gegenpressing and will have been signed by the German originally for his attributes which would suit his role at United.
Boubacar Kamara from Marseille has also been linked. While he is not a perfect fit, he is a very versatile player, having been deployed at defensive midfield, centre back, and full back during his already long first-team career, having made his debut at the age of 16.
The 22-year-old has a lot of potential, and with his contract expiring at the end of the season, he would be a cheap and available fix to United's issues, having shown on many occasions how comfortable he is in possession.
But the point is clear, United need upgrades in midfield, and I think a striker in Joelinton winning man of the match for playing in midfield against you should hammer home the point for United harder than anything else.
Who do you think Manchester United need to sign in defensive midfield in January? Follow our United On My Mind writer Casey Evans on Twitter and get involved in the discussion in the comment section below.
