Manchester United vs. Wigan: 5 Things We Learned

Manchester United won the 2013 FA Community Shield at a canter Sunday, dispatching Wigan Athletic 2-0 at Wembley Stadium.

Robin van Persie scored both goals in a rather dull affair, but new boss David Moyes will be more pleased with a win than he is concerned with entertaining the fans.

With less than a week until the Premier League season starts, the Red Devils' performance should nevertheless give fans reason for optimism.

Here are five things we learned from Sunday's game.

Life Without Sir Alex

Disregarding the preseason friendlies, Sunday's game was the first real opportunity for United fans to sample life without Sir Alex Ferguson running the show.

It is a difficult thing to put into words what life without the Scotsman as United manager now means.

Many fans have no memory of a time when he was not manager of Manchester United; some were not even alive at the time.

For those who follow the Red Devils, Sir Alex was a sort of surrogate father. He was a constant presence, not just on the touchlines, but in football in general.

Sunday's game, with David Moyes now barking orders from the side of the pitch, lacked a little of the usual magic—simply from the harsh reminder that the greatest manager of all time is no longer in charge of the biggest club in the world.

Zaha a Raw Gem

Wilfried Zaha continues to give United fans great reason for optimism.

The England international was a constant threat Sunday, always looking willing to attack the opposition and play an influential role in his side's attacking play.

His pure speed and touch under pressure were the two traits that stood out the most.

He is not yet the finished product. He has a tendency to try to do too much, plus his final ball still needs work.

But his potential is evident. With plenty of first-team football this season, Zaha could quickly develop into the best winger the Red Devils have had on their books since one Cristiano Ronaldo.

Patrice Evra Still the Man

News has been rampant that Patrice Evra's time as Manchester United's first-choice left-back may soon be coming to an end.

David Hytner of The Guardian reported last week that, "The Premier League champions are interested in signing Leighton Baines from Everton."

But Evra is not done yet. His performance against Wigan showed as much.

He was both a reliable defensive presence and showed great gusto charging up the left flank to play a role in his team's attacking football.

His cross for Robin van Persie's first goal was excellent. He will surely thrive in the David Moyes tactical system.

An Early Impression for Michael Carrick

Michael Carrick was the deserving recipient of the Man of the Match award for Sunday's game.

The English holding midfielder was typically imperious in calmly dictating the pace of the game from a deeper position.

This follows off the back of his best season in a United shirt, where he was voted Player of the Year by members of the Red Devils' first-team squad.

It would be easy to suggest he will carry this career form into this season, but in past campaigns, he has shown a tendency to start slowly.

However, his performance in the Community Shield hinted that this trend may have become a thing of the past.

Tactical Notes

There were a couple points of interest from Sunday that Manchester United fans will certainly discuss in the coming days.

The first being Danny Welbeck's inclusion in the team in the place of Shinji Kagawa.

Welbeck was decent against the Latics, but Kagawa must be the side's central attacking playmaker this season.

It is too early to tell what Moyes' intentions are in this regard, but there are already rumblings of fan discontent on the Internet.

With the lack of a trequartista, much of the Red Devils' attacking football was shifted out to the flanks.

This tactic worked for the most part, the most obvious example being Patrice Evra's cross for Robin van Persie to head home in the first half.

It was a significant blow, though, when right-back Rafael was taken off due to injury early on.

Like Evra, the Brazilian has the potential to thrive under Moyes and was fast becoming one of the best players in his position in Britain last season.

Another point of note was Ryan Giggs' inclusion in the first team.

With Ashley Young and Nani out injured, the Welshman's appearance was not all that surprising.

It will be interesting to note how much Giggs plays this season, considering his new player-coach role. Too much playing time, and cynics will swiftly suggest he is overstepping his bounds in his authoritarian position.

What did you learn from the 2-0 win? What does this season hold in store for United?