Fabregas was key to Moyes' tactical plan A

Moyes failed to woo Fàbregas in spite of an aggressive pursuit

However, Kagawa’s presence does allow Moyes to field three passers. Kagawa is a player who likes to come into possession facing forward and plays quick, incisive balls to the team’s strikers. Robin van Persie and Javier Hernández are excellent finishers and United’s opposition will be forced to keep an eye out for the Japanese’s creativity.

Should Moyes use the former Borussia Dortmund player as Jürgen Klopp did at the German club by fielding two very capable passers deep United’s opposition will face a dilemma as to how to stop the Reds’ midfield. Man-mark Kagawa and two central midfielders will run the game. Compete in midfield and Kagawa will roam free. Meanwhile, Fàbregas (or a player of his ilk) can storm forward and overload the hole between the midfield and defence.

The Moyes model, should it come to fruition, insists upon the team setting up deep and forcing opposition into choosing between letting United’s midfield run the game or risk succumbing to clinical counter-attacks launched through Kagawa.

It is, however, a complex and intricate plan that often fails.

Sound in theory, nobody yet knows whether Moyes’ plan will actually work. It seemingly revolves using Kagawa as a bluff to force the opposition into defending the hole. It is a reactive plan, based on a supposition that United’s opponents will attack – a strategy that fails when the opposition parks the bus, leaving the attacking side to retain meaningless possession.

Fàbregas is perhaps the only player who can make this plan work. The Spanish can score from distance and the Barcelona player, perhaps influenced by the English game, is so direct that more cultured teams such as the Catalan club and Spanish national team often use him as a forward.

Cesc has the attributes to break down teams that sit deep and is experienced in doing so as a former Arsenal player. There are few others who can pass incisively, carry the ball forward, shoot from distance and storm into the box if needed.

Moyes’ plan is bust of course with Fàbregas now committed to remaining in Barcelona, but the brazenly public wooing of the Spanish duo suggests that the new United manager will continue the counter-attacking approach adopted during his Everton days.

It is risky though. While Ferguson’s approach became increasingly defensive during the latter days of his tenure, Moyes does not possess the retired manager’s trophy haul. United’s fans might not take kindly to the reactive tactics.

Indeed, the new man’s desperation seeps through in the frantic quest to bring in the one player who could have very well been the difference between Moyes’ approach being described as boring or refined.