Shinji Kagawa showed that when the game is played at pace, moving forward and the passes are coming thick and fast, he is the man of the moment.

In Manchester United’s dazzling opening act against Newcastle, to be referred to herewith as the ‘Dazzling 20’, Kagawa gave all the detractors, of which he has many, including this website, something to think about.

Most impressive was his display on the right flank with Rafael.

The two seamlessly combined more than once with fluent one-twos to tear the Newcastle left side open.

Had Rafael’s delivery or finishing been better, the impact of that combine may have been far more devastating.

The upside of this is it more or less solves Sir Alex Ferguson’s Nani predicament.

The winger’s stay at United is looking increasingly tenuous with him just not showing the attitude or the form needed for the long haul.

That when Fergie made the change again Newcastle, the game which United eventually won 3-0, it was the just-recovering-from-injury Valencia that came on. 

If Kagawa and the increasingly rampant Rafael continue this marauding form, Fergie can ease Ashley Young back and pick teams that a flexible and fluid, and as the ‘Dazzling 20’ showed, devastating.