Adnan Januzaj: Manchester United's saviour hath come

Undeniably, Moyes’ assertion that he’s “not too worried about the contract situation” and that “every young boy wants to play for Manchester United” raises little confidence. There is, after all, a global market for talent – and United is by no means the only show in town. There are, as Sir Alex Ferguson might put it, other cows, and more grass.

The club has trodden this path before. Ravel Morrison – another lost talent, albeit for very different reasons – is maturing at West Ham United. And with Pogba long gone the Reds are in real danger of losing three players of the very rarest order in unacceptably short succession.

Still, for the time being Moyes is smart enough to take the risk on Januzaj’s ability and to have rapidly phased in the player’s introduction. It might just transform United’s season, while on recent evidence the Scot will struggle to keep Januzaj out of team from here to next May. The kid could metamorphose the manager’s fortunes too.

“We’ll just make sure he’s not treated any different and try not to get the media too hyped up about him,” said Moyes. ”But it’s difficult not to talk about a boy when he puts in a performance like that and he scores two goals. But he deserves it. He’s a really humble boy and grounded boy. I’ve not got too many fears about him. He is a special player.”

In the meantime it is not only the media engaging in embellishment, but senior pros too. Like Cristiano Ronaldo before him, there is a sense that Januzaj had won over his senior team-mates before kicking a ball in competitive anger. In professional sport there is nothing like talent to beget glowing respect.

“He’s done it on the big stage now,” said Michael Carrick, a man not normally known for hyperbole.

“He’s got so much ability, he’s got a great attitude too. He can be anything he wants to be. He’s that good, he’s got that chance. It’s just the start for him. I’m sure he’s not going to get carried away with it.

“His two finishes, the first was on his weaker foot, you would think. His second one was just a terrific volley. I was telling him at half-time to get in the box because there were chances for him. We’ve got a lot to thank him for. He’s won us the game.”

It certainly won’t be the last leaving Moyes with a delicate path to tread, from a manager’s natural caution, to a recognition that Januzaj’s time is very much now.

Still, there are plenty of reminders in United’s recent history of the differing paths a young player;s career can take. In Pogba there is a shining light, burning away from Old Trafford. The midfielder, now at Juventus, will make next summer’s French World Cup squad.

Then there is Morrison, a player of outstanding natural talent, whose off-the-field indiscretion forced United’s hand. The 20-year-old’s call-up to England under-21 duty was a gratefully received morsel of redemption this week – one celebrated with an outstanding individual effort against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.

Each in turn was hailed as United’s new midfield saviour. That a new Red faces the same sobriquet is no surprise. United supporters simply hope for a different outcome: a story that begins and ends at Old Trafford.