Mount, Amrabat and Hannibal have given Manchester United what they didn't have last season

In the space of just over a week, Manchester United have gone from being a club on the brink of entering crisis mode to one that is chasing a third successive victory.

Tuesday night's 3-0 win over Crystal Palace saw Erik ten Hag's side build on their morale-boosting win at Burnley just 72 hours earlier by producing their best performance of the season so far. They played with purpose and an attractive identity for the first time this term.

Despite making seven changes to the side that scraped past Burnley at Turf Moor, perhaps, on paper, giving them a weaker look, United were anything but. The introductions of Sofyan Amrabat, Mason Mount and Anthony Martial, to name just three, made them stronger.

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The aforementioned trio will now, justifiably, be banging on Ten Hag's door in the hope of retaining their places for Saturday's rematch with Roy Hodgson's side. Unlike last season's Carabao Cup campaign, though it didn't do United too much harm, of course, Ten Hag has the freedom to rotate his pack a lot more this time around.

He frequently cited the importance of having two players available in each position last season, but it was a scenario that was rarely available to him. He reiterated the importance of being able to double-up only last month, just days before a late flurry of activity on deadline day.

Speaking after United's 3-2 win over Nottingham Forest, Ten Hag said: "We are prepared well; we are fully in control so if there are transfers, we need to keep the squad competitive because it will be a tough season with many games to cover.

"In many positions you need