When the fourth official's electronic board was raised in the second-half at Elland Road on Sunday afternoon, it was a surprise to see Ralf Rangnick bring Paul Pogba off for Fred with the game delicately poised 2-2.
It was a brave call from Rangnick and a substitution that he would have been lambasted for if the game had gone Leeds' way, but, thankfully for Rangnick, it didn't. The German looked on instead as Fred put United ahead within moments of entering the pitch.
Being responsible for such a substitution is almost as good as it gets for managers in games - it was instant gratification.
Fred made a brilliant impact from the bench and Anthony Elanga, who came on alongside Fred when Rangnick made a double change, put the result beyond doubt to make amends for squandering an earlier opportunity to find the back of the net.
Rangnick's intervention inspired United to secure the three points in a hostile match in enemy territory and it was the perfect response to Paul Scholes' criticism earlier this month after the United legend questioned his credentials to coach the club.
"The sacking of Ole [Gunnar Solskjaer] was coming," Scholes said. "We all knew that but we all felt that, where was the plan? There has to be a plan, there has to be an elite, top coach into the football club to revive the football club.
"It's Manchester United, they should have the best of everything and to not have a plan and bring what is a sporting director, he's coached a team two years out of the last 10."
While Scholes also admitted he liked Rangnick and his statement was factual, it felt slightly degrading.
Jurgen Klopp, Thomas Tuchel and Julian Nagelsmann all credit Rangnick as an important influence in their respective careers and the interim boss is clearly tactically astute. He was the mastermind of the 'gegenpress' and his tactical philosophy has underpinned RB Leipzig's meteoric rise.
That has not translated to Old Trafford as some supporters anticipated upon his appointment, but it was never actually realistic to expect that. Solskjaer left behind complex, deep-rooted problems in this United squad. They were tactically flawed and neglected under the previous manager and Rangnick was never going to wave his magic wand after joining during the season.
Rangnick is not perfect, far from it, but for Scholes to use his history as a sporting director as ammunition felt like an unjustified slant against him. Rangnick has tinkered with United's formation since his arrival, he's made crucial changes to the system in matches, he's learned from his mistakes - the 2-2 draw against Aston Villa - and he's starting to get the best out of Jadon Sancho.
After Solskjaer was sacked, Paris Saint-Germain rebuffed United's enquiries for Mauricio Pochettino. Meanwhile, Erik ten Hag, who is also admired at the club, was never going to leave Ajax mid-season. The managerial landscape was hardly appealing.
Rangnick appeared the best solution on an interim basis and perhaps history will look kinder on his tenure if he's able to lay the foundations for his successor, who should have a similar tactical philosophy, to succeed as he didn't inherit that luxury.
Rangnick isn't the man to take United forward after this season. The club needs a safer bet at a pivotal moment in its history, however, he's obviously more than tactically competent and the impact of his changes at Leeds was the perfect response to Scholes.
When Rangnick's tenure is judged at the end of the season, whether United have secured Champions League football or not will decide how he's remembered, but it will be important to remember the extent of the mess that Rangnick had been dealt.
United's 4-2 win over Leeds at the weekend was a semblance of progress and fans will be hoping it can be the turning point.
