Manchester United have rediscovered crucial Premier League quality they can't do without

While Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo stole the individual headlines for Manchester United in their weekend win over Everton, Erik ten Hag will be quietly satisfied with the team showing.

The two youngsters produced the most accomplished performances but given the list of absentees the Reds were dealing with - including arguably the spine of the team in Lisandro Martinez, Casemiro and Rasmus Hojlund - Ten Hag will hope the three points is a sign of things to come.

United were depleted but defiant, at times second best but first to strike. It wasn't a dominant display but it could be a defining one.

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Too often under Ten Hag United have been listless on the road and failed to produce performances worthy of Premier League victories. Yet in the Goodison Park cauldron they rose to the occasion.

Their defence was resolute with the improving Andre Onana making key saves while the determination on show was highlighted by Mainoo's superb goal-line clearance. When Everton pressed, United stood firm.

They were second best in many of the stats, registering fewer shots, fewer shots on target and fewer corners while Everton shaded possession. Yet it was the Reds who ran out ultimately comfortable winners.

United didn't play badly but neither were they at their best. Yet they got the three points. It's the trait of top teams to find a way to win. United used to do it time and again during the dominant years of Sir Alex Ferguson and they regularly did so with squad players to the fore.

Think back to the likes of John O'Shea, Anderson, Park ji-Sung and Quinton Fortune playing