Manchester United donned their new white kit against Crystal Palace when orange would have been the more appropriate colour. The second goal in their defeat of Crystal Palace, crafted through a visionary pass, a deft touch, intuitive movement and perceptive passes, was the embodiment of the Total Football pioneered in the Netherlands.
Marcus Rashford had the privilege to end the move Bruno Fernandes started. Diogo Dalot immediately identified his compatriot once the ball had rolled in. There was a Dutch flavour to it, with Donny van de Beek claiming the assist.
At the risk of getting ahead of ourselves, United's identity crisis appears to be over now they have a permanent manager who leaves the office to coach the players. Day by day, Erik ten Hag's approval ratings grow.
Read more: United players ratings vs Crystal Palace
Caution should still be preached after three months, never mind three games. United are midway through their pre-season schedule and the players have adapted to Ten Hag's demands and approach impressively, albeit against weakened teams. Palace were devoid of Wilfried Zaha, a tormentor of United at Selhurst Park in May, as well as other regulars.
Ten Hag was present that day in May and United were unrecognisable at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. At one point, Fernandes received the ball and last season would have immediately hit an inswinger. This time, he kept the ball ticking over, aligned with Ten Hag's patient and proactive possession-based approach.
The thought of a possession-based Dutch United coach might bring out a fan in a cold sweat yet this United bears little resemblance to Louis van Gaal's soporific side. At one stage Dalot and Tyrell Malacia - the full-backs - were positioned as advanced attacking midfielders.
United have a manager who is not just disciplined but decisive. The reckless Scott McTominay was the only removal at the interval and Van de Beek created a goal inside the first five minutes.
Ten Hag was largely inanimate in the technical area, even when things became fraught as Palace softened up United's regulars. Other than an instructive exchange with the appreciative Malacia, he appeared content with leaving the game management to the players.
The win was not entirely unblemished. David de Gea conceded softly and Will Fish expelled for deliberate denial of a goalscoring opportunity when he upended Victor Akinwale.
FIsh, flown to Australia after Axel Tuanzebe withdrew from the squad, had his loan with non-league Stockport terminated early last season and trudged sorrowfully towards the dugout. He received a sympathetic pat on the head from Ten Hag, who approached the referee at full-time.
Those defects only emerged once Ten Hag had removed almost the entirety of the starting XI.
The slickness of United's style quelled the mutineers, for on the second successive pre-season tour the captain was booed. If Ashley Young's perverse treatment in Singapore is unmemorable, Harry Maguire's is unlikely to be. He has already been subjected to such ignominy by ingrate little Englanders and thousands of United matchgoers cheered his removal against Atletico Madrid in March.
At the MCG on Friday, Maguire played through his 45 minutes without any commotion. Perhaps it was the slack defending against Melbourne Victory or Erik ten Hag's confirmation on Monday that Maguire was a first choice pick that agitated the United fans inside the cricketing Mecca. Maguire looked stumped.
Leicester fans chant "F--k off Maguire" and you half-wondered whether United's would break into a rendition of that crass chorus. Maguire's name was announced to a mixture of cheers and boos and as soon as the match started it was exclusively the latter. Maguire, thrown by the crowd's reaction, played the ball into touch with his second pass.
He soon shielded the ball out for a goal kick and Dalot offered an enthusiastic high-five, clearly conscious of the personal soundtrack Maguire was treated to. Loyalists jubilantly cheered the goal kick. Ten Hag provided his own support by offering Maguire a thumbs up when Maguire found Malacia with an adroit pass. He then blocked a goalbound attempt by Jesurun Rak-Sakyi.
The boos dissipated without anyone noticing until Maguire's own attempt at goal. The identity of the shooter elicited a roar of appreciation and Maguire came through his best half in nearly four months, not that it counts.
Maguire occupied the right-sided centre-back role, with the left effectively reserved for Lisandro Martinez once he is officially registered. If it is any consolation to Maguire, the crowd sullied itself by starting a Mexican Wave in the 33rd minute.
United needed only 17 minutes for their breakthrough, provided by two players enjoying propitious pre-seasons. Dalot's left-footed cross was undeniably intended for Martial and he converted a more difficult opportunity than the one-on-one Jack Butland had earlier repelled. Martial killed the ball with his chest and lashed in on the volley.
Dalot clenched his fist and grinned grittily towards the crowd. He and Martial have excelled amid no credible competition for their roles and halfway through pre-season Dalot is already assured of starting against Brighton two weeks on Sunday.
Should Cristiano Ronaldo return, his shadow would loom large over Martial, prone to going cold in the shade of an established forward. With no market to offload Martial, Ten Hag has creditably managed him to the point he is not a problem but a solution.
Sancho, another forward thriving on tour, crowned another appearance with a second goal to make it 3-0, the move starting inside De Gea's area and accelerated by Rashford's balletic swivel on the halfway line. The United tricolor might soon turn red, white and blue.
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