This was hardly a reincarnation of Manchester United but it was an improvement and on this occasion it was just about enough.

Much of it was probably to be expected. Under the guidance of their new interim manager Ralf Rangnick, United began the afternoon full of newly-found vim, vigour and vitality before finding it desperately hard to keep all that going. Over the course of the game, the quality of their football waned and with that went much of their early threat.

But they were the better team. There were no moments of haphazard self-harm and just when they needed it most they scored a very good goal through their much-maligned midfielder Fred.

United had lost their way a little bit with 13 minutes left and Crystal Palace had just wasted the best chance of the game through Jordan Ayew. But after United built play carefully down the right side, Fred arrived to deliver a superb right-footed shot across and above Palace goalkeeper Vicente Guaita and into the net from 25 yards.

It was a goal that deserved to win a better game than this one but its importance was clear to United, their manager and indeed their scorer. Fred cost £50million when he arrived at Old Trafford during the Jose Mourinho years and has often seemed to embody the sense of chaos that has engulfed this club for so long.

Last Thursday, as Rangnick watched United beat Arsenal from the stands, Fred had been typically erratic. Here, he was better and was not alone in that. Cristiano Ronaldo did not score but contributed one of his most complete recent performances. Bruno Fernandes was impressive too, as were both of United’s full backs, Diogo Dalot and Alex Telles.