COMMENT: As a result. For the performance. It was a statement of intent. The hammering of Leeds the ideal way to kickoff the new season. But beyond the euphoria. Even the scoreline. Were there any actual signs of improvement from Manchester United on Saturday...?

First the positives. And to be fair, there were plenty. Not the least, Bruno Fernandes' hat-trick. A first for the club. The Portugal midfielder's effort has almost been brushed aside by Paul Pogba's record four assists on the day (despite Fernandes' effort breaking a 44 year-old record held by Lou Macari). But for significance. For what it means to how this United team ticks. Nothing was more important to come out of this 5-1 triumph than the belief and confidence that Fernandes will have garnered from this performance.

On the back of a dismal Euro 2020 with Portugal, which had followed a dramatic form slide in the final months of last season, there were plenty of questions swirling around Fernandes going into Saturday's game. Was he burned out? Had he been found out? A Euros which had produced zero assists and zero goals hinted at something serious. But Fernandes put all that doubt to bed with this hat-trick.

The midfielder was back to his best on the day. United's game again being played through him. If there's been any self-doubt; any concern about how he's performed these past few months, Fernandes put that to one side. He'll be floating today. The Euros simply a blip on his career trajectory.

And beyond individuals, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will be delighted with how it all came together. United's manager went into the game conceding they'd long had problems with slow season starts. It's been something that's held the team back ever since he's taken charge. So to produce such a result on the opening day will have Solskjaer pleased - very pleased. Indeed, even more so knowing he has Raphael Varane and Jadon Sancho still to bed in. Two players we all expect to lift the quality of Solskjaer's best XI by the multiple.

For United. For Old Trafford. As an opening day act, this one was up there with the best seen. For this column, not since United's thumping of Arsenal for the start of the 1989/90 season have we witnessed Old Trafford heaving on the first day as it did on Saturday.

Neil Webb (third from front) ahead of laying on the assist for Lee Martin's 1990 FA Cup final winner

Thirty-two years ago and circumstances were similar. Like today, there was a buzz around a new summer signing. Neil Webb, of England and Nottingham Forest, chose United ahead of every other club in the country. He was Sir Alex Ferguson's answer to missing out on Paul Gascoigne the year previous. And on the day. With the crowd whipped into a frenzy by a ball-juggling wannabe owner in Michael Knighton. Webb produced one of the most iconic season opening goals on debut.

Cue today and Old Trafford had another pre-match show. Solskjaer giving the club's marketing staff the green light for Raphael Varane to introduce himself to the home support. It was pure theatre. The stuff of PT Barnum. And it worked a treat, eventually...

Not everyone had read the script - particularly Luke Ayling. With a screamer, Leeds' potential England fullback brought the teams level just after the break. Just as last season. United had again found themselves pegged back. A lead cancelled. The goalkeeper beaten at the far post (okay, that's a bit rough on David De Gea). It's like nothing had changed.

But then came three goals in eight minutes. As Solskjaer would later say, Mason Greenwood took it upon himself to spark the revival. His low drive found the inside of the far post, it was a finish the manager would've been proud of.

After that intervention, the result was never in doubt. Roared on by a full-house, United's players turned on the style. They enjoyed themselves as much as the fans.

"Sir Alex Ferguson, the gaffer, always used to say enjoy yourself," Solskjaer would later say, post-match. "Express yourself. You've got to enjoy the privilege and the pressure and the responsibility of playing in front of 75,000 fans at Old Trafford and millions watching on TV. But to get to smile, you have to do the hard work."

A great result. And against a genuine rival. But while you can only beat what's in front of you, it must be said this Leeds team aren't an improvement on last season. The club's two summer additions, Junior Firpo and Kristoffer Klaessan, starting on the bench. The best years of both players are well into the future. Ayling would later concede, "We were beaten by four [at Old Trafford] last year, so it's nothing new to us..."

But United did win. And they did it in style. And with Southampton and Wolves to come this month, there's an opportunity to build some momentum - and for Solskjaer to ease Sancho and Varane into his starting XI.

For United fans, particularly for those at Old Trafford, it was a great day. A stand-out. But beyond the euphoria, it must be said, it's still too soon to say United have fixed what held them back last season.