The £89m midfielder showed off his remarkable passing range in racking up four assists during a 5-1 demolition at Old Trafford
It was a chance to display new acquisitions. Manchester United led the way, parading Raphaël Varane on the pitch before kick-off, using a quadruple Champions League winner and a 2018 world champion as proof of their largesse. Leeds produced an idiosyncratic response. Enter Marcelo Bielsa, soon to perch on a new bucket.
Unlike the other United, Bielsa has never been a slave to the transfer market. He believes improvement comes from within, aided by relentless running. Luke Ayling has symbolised it. He was a right-back in the lower half of the Championship when Bielsa inherited him and a scorer of a spectacular goal at Old Trafford on Saturday. When Leeds were briefly level, it served as an endorsement of their manager’s credo.