Manchester United: 5 Positives Fans Can Take from Opening Day Defeat

With the opening round of Premier League fixtures complete, Manchester United find themselves in the unusual position of 16th in the table.

Given the difficult task of facing one of their bogey teams in Everton, this was never going to be an easy night.

Over the course of the 90 minutes Everton were clearly the better team. But it's only week one and there is still a long way to go.

Anyone who read my previous articles would be aware that I predicted United would start slowly, so I don't see any major reasons for concern.

On a difficult night there weren't many positives, but here are five I picked out.

1. David De Gea

I got huge criticism a few weeks back when I boldly predicted David De Gea would become the best goalkeeper in the EPL this season.

His performance tonight would add weight to that prediction. He looked much more assured under the barrage of high balls.

Gone was the timid young man we saw last season. He was now barking orders and attacking the ball with confidence.

What was never in doubt was his shot-stopping ability, and he showed that once again as he pulled off a string of top-class saves of all kinds to deny Everton.

He was eventually beaten through no fault of his own, and it could've easily been three or four nil if he wasn't in goal.

2. Shinji Kagawa

Close inspection of his debut game will give huge hope to United fans. Sir Alex Ferguson would appear to have signed a real gem.

He was full of clever touches and movement and never seemed to give the ball away. He appeared to ghost around the pitch and was always available.

Two moments stood out for me.

First was the calmness he showed to lay the ball off to Tom Cleverly when a loose ball fell to him in the box. Most players would've rushed a shot but he showed his cool head and unselfishness by finding a man in a better position.

The second was the 1-2 he played with Rooney on the edge of the Everton box. Only a fantastic tackle by Phil Jagielka prevented him getting a shot off.

As he develops a rapport with his fellow attackers he will become a serious threat.

3. Nemanja Vidic

After an extended spell on the sidelines, it would be forgivable if Vidic had some teething problems on his return to competitive football.

While he wasn't back to his dominant best, there was enough evidence on show to put any concerns to bed.

Playing in a makeshift back four, he was a calming presence at the back and dealt admirably with the considerable threat posed by the twin towers of Marouane Fellaini and Nikica Jelavic.

Michael Carrick struggled alongside him, but having a fully fit Vidic will help United weather the current injury crisis.

4. Danny Welbeck

A surprising starter given the arrival of Robin Van Persie, Welbeck played well enough to confirm he will be a key player for United over the course of the season.

A player who confused me at times last season, Welbeck is capable of sublime finishes, but he never seemed to find himself in great positions.

He often spent too much time out the field working hard for those around him. I'm sure this was his assigned task, but I would like to see him take on the back four more often.

On three occasions tonight, he found himself in great positions behind the defence running onto through balls. Only some great last-ditch interventions prevented him from getting on the scoresheet.

If he can keep getting himself in the right positions, the goals will come—which would be a huge plus for United.

5. Paul Scholes

Change is great and United need to change to regain their position as the top side in England, but sometimes it's nice to know that some things will never change.

One of those things is the fact that Paul Scholes can't tackle. Arsene Wenger might say he's not so innocent, but I don't buy that. He never was, and he never will, be able to time a tackle.

He was a very lucky man to stay on the pitch tonight after picking up an early booking. His reputation once again appeared to save Scholes as the referee gave him the benefit of the doubt after a couple of dodgy tackles.

I'm not sure about everyone else, but I love that rueful grin on his face as he walks away from another bad tackle as the commentators call it a typical Paul Scholes challenge.