Youngsters Will Keane and Andreas Pereira got the Jose Mourinho era off to a winning start as Manchester United beat Wigan Athletic 2-0 in a pre-season friendly with summer signings Eric Bailly and Henrikh Mkhitaryan making good debuts.
The strength of United's squad was evident as Mourinho watched them canter to victory against Championship opposition despite missing 14 players still on their break following Euro 2016 and Copa America.
Manchester United's new manager used all 22 players at his disposal with £30million defender Bailly the last of the outfield starters to be taken off after 82 minutes.
Two of his half-time substitutes Keane and Pereira did the damage after 48 and 59 minutes and there was plenty for the former Chelsea manager Mourinho to ponder on particularly the performances of Juan Mata and Daley Blind, both thought to be under threat at Old Trafford.
It is already clear that Mourinho's style will be very different from predecessor Louis van Gaal
Whereas the Dutchman spent his time in the dug-out scribbling notes, Mourinho stood on the edge of the technical area from minute one – and stayed there throughout.
At one point, in the 38th minute, it appeared he was going for a sit-down. But 30 seconds later he was back to watch the action close-up and personal, noticing everything and sending out animated instructions.
The United fans loved the contrast and chanted his name. Up in the stands, executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward would have been pleased as well.
Jesse Lingard, the FA Cup Final hero in May, will now know to hug the right-hand touchline rather than cut inside. Mourinho made it crystal clear. He responded by playing a great one-two with Ander Herrera and whipping in a cross that Mkhitaryan narrowly fired over.
Though that was a bad miss, the £26m Armenian looked the part of a proper No 10 as he glided past defenders before making way for Mata at the interval, one of seven half-time changes made by Mourinho after Wigan, newly promoted to the Championship, had fought gallantly to keep the score at 0-0.
United's opening goal duly arrived soon after the restart though the major assist was a howler by Wigan's veteran goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen.
His clumsy attempt to dribble out of defence ended in disaster when Mata intercepted and the Spaniard unselfishly squared for Keane to register a tap-in.
That broke the dam and after 59 minutes, Herrera had a shot on the edge of the box blocked into the path of Pereira and the young Brazilian rifled in his finish from 14 yards.
Pereira was one of those who never got on with van Gaal and he will also view the appointment of a new manager as a new chance.
Meanwhile, Blind – a van Gaal favourite – showed his new boss his gift of versatility, playing the first 45 minutes at centre-half and the next 45 as left-back. For the second half, Phil Jones partnered Bailly at the heart of a defence sporting a bleach blonde haircut that seemed to be based on Aaron Ramsey's barnet at Euro 2016.
Wigan didn't have enough to scare United – even Will Grigg wasn't on fire – but Mourinho will have considered it a good day at the office.
He will have to prune some of United's large squad but with the likes of David de Gea, Chris Smalling Anthony Martial, Wayne Rooney, Marcus Rashford and Zlatan Ibrahimovic to return, they do seem to have the strength in depth to improve significantly on last season's fifth place.
Youngsters Tyler Blackett and Guillermo Varela came on later in the second half to emphasise the point – they weren't even training with the first team during Mourinho's first week at Carrington.
Manchester United's new manager used all 22 players at his disposal with £30million defender Bailly the last of the outfield starters to be taken off after 82 minutes.
Two of his half-time substitutes Keane and Pereira did the damage after 48 and 59 minutes and there was plenty for the former Chelsea manager Mourinho to ponder on particularly the performances of Juan Mata and Daley Blind, both thought to be under threat at Old Trafford.
It is already clear that Mourinho's style will be very different from predecessor Louis van Gaal
Whereas the Dutchman spent his time in the dug-out scribbling notes, Mourinho stood on the edge of the technical area from minute one – and stayed there throughout.
The United fans loved the contrast and chanted his name. Up in the stands, executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward would have been pleased as well.
Jesse Lingard, the FA Cup Final hero in May, will now know to hug the right-hand touchline rather than cut inside. Mourinho made it crystal clear. He responded by playing a great one-two with Ander Herrera and whipping in a cross that Mkhitaryan narrowly fired over.
Though that was a bad miss, the £26m Armenian looked the part of a proper No 10 as he glided past defenders before making way for Mata at the interval, one of seven half-time changes made by Mourinho after Wigan, newly promoted to the Championship, had fought gallantly to keep the score at 0-0.
His clumsy attempt to dribble out of defence ended in disaster when Mata intercepted and the Spaniard unselfishly squared for Keane to register a tap-in.
That broke the dam and after 59 minutes, Herrera had a shot on the edge of the box blocked into the path of Pereira and the young Brazilian rifled in his finish from 14 yards.
Pereira was one of those who never got on with van Gaal and he will also view the appointment of a new manager as a new chance.
Wigan didn't have enough to scare United – even Will Grigg wasn't on fire – but Mourinho will have considered it a good day at the office.
Youngsters Tyler Blackett and Guillermo Varela came on later in the second half to emphasise the point – they weren't even training with the first team during Mourinho's first week at Carrington.
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