Manchester United manager sprung a surprise when he handed Timothy Fosu-Mensah his first Premier League start since 2017 against Crystal Palace.
The Eagles were also the opponents when the defender last appeared for the Red Devils back on the 21st May, 2017.
The Red Devils won the game 2-0 before Fosu-Mensah joined Palace on loan the following season.
After a stint at Fulham and an injury-plagued spell, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer handed him a surprise new contract and introduced him to the fold in another 2-0 victory on Thursday night.
But whilst both games ended with identical scorelines, a lot has changed between Fosu-Mensah’s two appearances.
And the teams from those fixtures lay bare the remarkable transformation the Red Devils have gone through in the last three years.
On the final day of the 2016/17 season, Jose Mourinho experimented with his squad and gave some young players a chance to impress.
Ultimately, however, the line-up highlighted the shortcomings of a side which was a million miles away from Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s current side.
Demetri Mitchell and Josh Harrop both started the game but have since failed to make the grade at United, whilst an ageing Wayne Rooney led the line as captain.
Jesse Lingard started on the left hand side with Scott McTominay and Paul Pogba in midfield as well as Axel Tuanzebe, still eyeing his major breakthrough, lining up as a defensive midfielder.
Phil Jones and Eric Bailly formed the centre-back pairing, but both are now well down the pecking order in Solskjaer’s upgraded squad.
There was also a rare start for Joel Pereira in goal with Anthony Martial, Michael Carrick and Angel Gomes coming off the bench.
Several youngsters made the squad who have since left the club without making a mark, namely Kieran O’Hara, Matty Willock and Zak Dearnley whilst Daley Blind completed the bench.
The side was a far cry from the team which surrounded Fosu-Mensah this week, with Harry Maguire, Victor Lindelof and Aaron Wan-Bissaka joining him in the back four with David de Gea in goal.
McTominay and Pogba remained but Bruno Fernandes joined them to add a new dimension to their midfield, whilst a front three of Marcus Rashford, Martial and Mason Greenwood was unrecognisable to the options three years ago.
After the game, Solskjaer declared himself pleased with Fosu-Mensah on his return to the side as the youngster, still only 22, aims to carve out a career at Old Trafford.
“It’s been 16 months since the last time he played, he's worked hard,” he said.
“I’m delighted for him. I know all about knee injuries, and how great it must've felt for him to be out there, and he lasted the full game.
"With his [Fosu-Mensah] physicality and attributes, we thought he deserved to play this game, and I think he proved that. He showed it.
“He's probably going to feel it tomorrow morning but I'm delighted for him.”
Man Utd line-up vs Crystal Palace in 2017 : Pereira, Fosu-Mensah, Bailly, Jones, Mitchell, Tuanzebe, McTominay, Pogba, Lingard, Rooney, Harrop. Subs: O’Hara, Dearnley, Blind, Willock, Carrick, Gomes, Martial.
Man Utd line-up vs Crystal Palace in 2020 : De Gea, Wan-Bissaka, Maguire, Lindelof, Fosu-Mensah, McTominay, Pogba, Fernandes, Rashford, Greenwood, Martial. Subs: Romero, Bailly, Dalot, Matic, Fred, Lingard, Mata, James, Ighalo.
