Although it was far from polished and perfect, there was signs that Manchester United's decision to revert back to their customary 4-2-3-1 formation against Aston Villa on Monday evening was what they needed.
Despite their best efforts to adapt to Ralf Rangnick's new-look 4-2-2-2 system in the first six games of his tenure, the early indications were already suggesting that United were going to struggle to score goals at the rate expected of them playing in thet shape.
Six outings in that system produced just seven goals for United, three of which came in a first half blast against Burnley.
Although United's reconnection with their more recognisable 4-2-3-1 once again made their need for a central-midfielder all the more clear and obvious — with Villa over-running them in midfield and threatening to hurt them on countless occasions — it did appear to give United more joy going forward, particularly on the flanks in the first half.
The deployment of Rangnick's favoured 4-2-2-2 system required natural wide players such as Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho to move inside the pitch, freeing up space for the full-backs to bomb forward into the space that had been left vacant by the oppositions full-backs being dragged inside by the likes of Rashford and Sancho.
But Rashford and Sancho are not players, certainly in the latter's case, to move inside the pitch and play narrow.
The former Borussia Dortmund man, despite only being at the tender age of 21, has already built up a reputation as someone who likes to get chalk on his boots, glide around defenders and supply the man waiting in the middle — which in United's case is either Cristiano Ronaldo or Edinson Cavani.
Sancho was brought in during the summer transfer window to solve the club's longstanding need for a right-winger. United had played a patient waiting game to ensure they secured his signature and that patience, it seemed, had paid off with the club breathing a sigh of relief when he finally put pen to paper.
It was job done at last.
However, despite integrating Sancho into the team slowly under former manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, United can no longer delay the England international's affirmative arrival. He needs to have full trust installed in him by being allowed to play regularly in a position where he so often thrived in Dortmund.
So far, Sancho's longest sequence of Premier League starts in his favoured right-wing berth stands at just two games, while his longest sequence of starts in an unfamiliar right-sided advanced-midfield role also stands at just two. He's also played on the left several times.
Considering United had been pursuing his signature for such a lengthy amount of time, it is actually becoming quite hard to not feel sorry for the youngster. Yes, it can be argued he has not lived up to the billing when he has played, whether it be from the start or off the bench, but he has not had a fair crack of the whip in his strongest role.
He deserves that opportunity to show exactly why United were so desperate to sign him for so long, but to also give United a boost in an attacking sense, playing from his favoured position.
Whether United's return to the 4-2-3-1 system against Villa will be a flash in the pan will be revealed within the first few minutes of the next tussle with Steven Gerrard's side on Saturday.
Sancho is expected to return from his minor hamstring complaint against Villa, but he shouldn't be expected to solve all the problems bring the house down in one game. A lengthy run in the team is only bound to help him, though.
The central-midfield issue is going to remain an apparent problem whichever way United wish to play, but the introduction of Sancho into his recognisable and most favoured position may ease the burden.
Sign up to our United newsletter so you never miss an update from Old Trafford this season.
