Manchester United get the much needed momentum at last

It is this flexibility to play across any of the front positions that will ensure Januzaj gains plenty of first team football this season, although fans will hope that it comes without the ensuing pitfalls of failing to settle in any one position.

Adnan Januzaj

“We see him as a number seven, 10 or 11. He can play any of those three,” said Round.

“If you ask our Reserves coach [Warren Joyce], who had him last season, he’d say he felt his best position was number nine. He played there for the Reserves. So any of the top four positions he is capable of playing in.

“For a young player like Adnan, we’re trying to give him as much experience as we possibly can and develop him in numerous different positions and give him different ideas and thoughts about the way he should be playing.”

Januzaj has appeared just eight times for the club, including three starts, yet is already being discussed in the same breadth as teenage stars Ryan Giggs, Cristiano Ronaldo and Rooney. The tendency to revert to hyperbole is rife, of course, but on occasion it is beholded to supporters to enjoy genuine emergent talent.

Meanwhile, United’s cup win also brought confidence to those players on the fringes this season, including Javier Hernández, Wilfried Zaha and Fabio da Sila.

While the Brazilian did not start, much to many fans’ genuine surprise, his late goal brought a rare moment of joy in an otherwise frustrating season for the youngster. Little more than two years ago Fabio started the Champions League final against Barcelona at Wembley. His career has rarely looked so positive since.

Hernández, meanwhile, scored twice to underline the Mexican’s instinctive ability to finish is not lessened by lengthy spells on United’s substitutes bench. That the 25-year-old will almost certainly drop out of the side for the Reds’ visit to Fulham on Saturday is an indication of his continued status within the squad.

Then there was Zaha, whose positive performance was overshadowed by that of Januzaj, but should earn a the England international a shot at a place on United’s bench at least.

Zaha remains raw, and his inability to understand when to retain possession, when to pass and when to beat defenders is a frustration.

Still, the former Crystal Palace winger remained positive throughout, beating Norwich left-back Javier Garrido inside minutes to stamp some early authority on the game. The talent is present, with responsibility incumbent on Moyes and his team to coax the best out of the youngster.

“I was really pleased for Wilf to get a start and play so well,” added Round. “He got a bit tired at the end so we replaced him. But this will have done his confidence the world of good, and he’s gone out there and experienced what it’s like to win at Old Trafford.”

Indeed, much the same can be said for United after victories over Sociedad, Stoke and Norwich in successive home games. The secret behind that momentum is to repeat the result in upcoming away fixtures against Fulham and Sociedad before Arsenal visit in less than a fortnight’s time. Now that would breed confidence.