Donny van de Beek's impressive Everton display raises important Manchester United question

Donny van de Beek made his first start since joining Everton on loan from Manchester United on Saturday, playing a key role in the Merseysiders 3-0 victory over Leeds United.

The Dutchman had struggled to secure a regular spot in Manchester United’s starting 11 since he arrived at the club, with neither Ole Gunnar Solskjaer nor Ralf Rangnick willing to give the midfielder an extended run in the side.

This lack of faith shown in the 24-year-old at Old Trafford was undoubtedly a factor behind his forgettable displays on the rare occasions in which he was called upon.

However, it’s a different story at Everton with Frank Lampard in charge. The new Everton boss spoke about his faith and admiration for Van de Beek in the wake of his side’s standout 3-0 win on Saturday.

"I knew Donny as a player from the outside and I brought him here because of his talent in terms of his play, his intelligence and his work ethic.

He's a technical player but he matched the other players for work ethic. He gave us a sense of calm and he linked the play. He looked confident on the ball and that's exactly what I brought him here to do."

Issues for Van de Beek at United seem to consistently centre around a lack of openings in the side which would best suit his profile.

The Dutchman built his reputation at Ajax as an attacking midfielder, scoring goals with late runs and creating chances for teammates inside the final third.

United already had a profile fitting that bill in the form of Bruno Fernandes, meaning he was rarely going to be used in the same way for the Reds.

There’s also been a lingering belief that he didn’t have the physical profile suited to playing a deeper role, which is why he’s only rarely featured there for United. Yet