Manchester United vs. Tottenham Hotspur: 5 Things United Learned at Old Trafford

Manchester United eased through the gears to put an unconvincing first-half display behind them and roar to a 3-0 victory against Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford.

Alex Ferguson's new-look side looked ominously impressive after the break as they swept Spurs aside with the kind of swagger that champions are entitled to adopt.

Some of the football United played was at times breathtaking, not least in the buildup to their second goal, when a wonderful passing move culminated in the excellent Danny Welbeck's backheel for Anderson to finish. An early goal of the season contender, if there ever was one.

So what did we learn from their performance as a team and on an individual level? Here we look at what can be gleaned from the outing and how it bodes for the rest of the season.

1. Manchester United's Squad Is Second to None

With several youngsters starting the game against Spurs—the average age of United's players was just 23 years and 191 days—it was left to more seasoned campaigners to warm the bench.

So when Alex Ferguson introduced Ryan Giggs, Park Ji-sung and Javier Hernandez in a triple change with his side 2-0 up and the game already won, the inexperienced starters having done their job, it was a clear demonstration of just how deep his squad is.

And to think that Dimitar Berbatov, Michael Carrick and Fabio da Silva didn't get the call. Or that Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic, Rafael da Silva, Antonio Valencia and Darren Fletcher weren't even in the matchday squad. Or indeed Federico Macheda. Or Michael Owen. Scary, really.

2. Manchester United Goalkeeper David De Gea Will Take Time to Settle

As much as his younger teammates shone—Danny Welbeck, Chris Smalling, Phil Jones—the same could not be said for summer signing David De Gea.

Off the back of shaky performances in the Community Shield and the season opener at West Brom, the Spaniard again had a nervy outing in which he was flaky on crosses, far from solid in his shot-stopping and hesitant on clearances.

The feeling is that he will settle, that he is good enough to play for Manchester United and that his price tag will be justified, but with three uncertain showings now under his belt, it's clear he will take some time to adapt.

3. Manchester United Striker Danny Welbeck Is a Confidence Player

Football is a game of two halves, so the cliche goes. Certainly, that was the case for the young striker, whose performances before and after the break were markedly different.

In the first half, Welbeck was okay, but nothing spectacular. What a difference a goal makes. Having headed in on the hour mark, Welbeck was reborn and all of a sudden he was the best player on the pitch, running at increasingly perturbed defenders, nearly scoring a second with a spectacular overhead kick and trying—and pulling off—fancy flicks and tricks all over the pitch, most notably for United's second goal.

Welbeck is clearly a confidence player, and when that confidence is coursing through his veins, he looks like a world beater.

4. Manchester United Winger Ashley Young Could Prove a Real Bargain

In stark contrast to De Gea, as soon as another of United's big-money summer signings slipped on the United shirt he immediately appeared at home.  So neat is the fit between Ashley Young and his new team, the former Aston Villa man looks like he has been a United player for years.

Again he posed a real threat down the left flank where, being naturally right-footed, he is not averse to cut inside. But, as he proved again against Spurs, perhaps his most potent weapon is when he shows the defender inside, but jinks back outside and gets to the by-line.

If he can build on this early season form and continue to provide ammunition for Wayne Rooney and whoever partners his England team-mate up front, the £20 million paid for Young will look like a steal come the end of the season.

5. Manchester United Will Face Sterner Opposition This Season

For all United's class on the night, they know they will come up against better opposition over the course of the coming season.

Spurs weren't awful; far from it—they were actually the better side in the first half—but half a game is not enough at Old Trafford and United will face far sterner challenges over the next nine months.

That knowledge, along with the incredible competition for places in the side and, of course, the ever-demanding Ferguson, should provide the desire for continual improvement that, as United well know, is a pre-requisite of champions.