Against Tottenham on Thursday afternoon, the Red Devils lined up with Paul Pogba paired by Scott McTominay in a midfield two, behind a three-pronged attack of Daniel James, Andreas Pereira and Mason Greenwood which supported lone striker Anthony Martial.
And Pogba and McTominay proved an effective pairing in the first half with Manchester United dominant in Shanghai before they completed changed their eleven at the break.
Pogba has predominantly played in a more advanced role on the right, which was the same role the 26-year-old was utilised in throughout this pre-season before taking on Spurs.
But Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is seemingly pondering an alteration to how he utilises the Frenchman, who played in a two-man midfield alongside N’Golo Kante to great success at the World Cup a year ago as Les Bleus were triumphant in Russia.
There have previously been doubts as to whether Pogba could play in a more disciplined role, but Solskjaer was delighted with how he performed against Spurs.
And the Norwegian insists the Real Madrid-linked star – who looks likely to remain at Old Trafford despite Los Blancos’ interest in a transfer – has given him something to think about after their 2-1 win.
Solskjaer told his post-match press conference in the Far East: “I thought they played really well in the first-half. They haven’t done that before as a two and today I thought they really looked really like a good pair.
“Of course we’ve got Fred and Nemanja [Matic] second-half, we have Andreas [Pereira], so it’s something we have to look at.
“But we controlled the game better. Second-half we didn’t keep the ball well enough, so disappointed with the second-half, how we finished, really. But it’s been a great tour. And those two played well.
“He can play in a two like he does for France but he has also got the freedom of picking his moments, when to go forward.
“Same with Scott, maybe his best position is like a number eight running forward. But I thought the two played very disciplined tonight.”
If United were to switch their system permanently, that would obviously give Solskjaer one less position in midfield.
Pereira is more of a No 10, where Jesse Lingard, Angel Gomes and Juan Mata can also operate, but can play further back, while United also have Fred, Matic, McTominay and Pogba as options for a two-man central pairing.
Solskjaer has been linked with deals for Sporting CP captain Bruno Fernandes and Newcastle’s Sean Longstaff but the Evening Standard report that the club are becoming increasingly frustrated in their pursuit of the former.
The report says the midfielder is rated at around £56m but that Sporting are encouraging a number of clubs to act on their interest to create a bidding war, with Liverpool and Manchester City among the others previously tipped to move for the Portuguese ace.
Meanwhile Newcastle insist that Longstaff is not for sale and want £50m for the 21-year-old midfielder, even though he has only made 13 first-team appearances for the Magpies.
That is thought to be in light of United’s £50m signing of Crystal Palace right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka earlier in the window.
And if United continue to be frustrated in their pursuits of the pair, with just two weeks remaining before the market shuts on August 8, then Solskjaer could well opt to try Pogba out in a more reserved role full time rather than splash the cash on Longstaff, who is also more of a deep-lying player.
Fernandes, meanwhile, could be signed to fill in as the attacking midfielder in a 4-2-3-1 after he scored 32 times and laid on 18 assists last season for Sporting, although United clearly have some negotiations to do.
United are also said to be working on an £80m deal for Leicester City centre-back Harry Maguire, who is his priority.