Five changes Ralf Rangnick made to Man Utd including high-pressing Ronaldo

Ralf Rangnick took charge of Manchester United for the first time in the Premier League on Sunday and was able to kick off his tenure with a win thanks to a goal from unlikely goalscorer Fred.

After good work down the right wing from second-half substitute Mason Greenwood, the ball was teed up for Fred who whipped a great effort with his right foot into the top corner and out of the reach of Vicente Guaita.

It always looked like it would take a moment of magic to win the match as United were the better side for the most part but failed to craft out any clear cut opportunities for their very talented frontline.

But Palace too were limited in their openings and never looked like being able to complete the Manchester double, having beaten Manchester City 2-0 earlier this season.

The victory means that United are just three points off of the Champions League placings, but that was not the only positive to take away from the game considering the major changes Rangnick made to the team.

Here are five things we noticed that Rangnick introduced to the side for Sunday's game.

Attacking fullbacks

In seasons gone by it has been noticeable just how high Rangnick likes his fullbacks to push up, and on Sunday that was no exception.

Alex Telles and Diogo Dalot were closer to being wide midfielders than defenders against Palace based on their positioning, and it certainly benefitted the Red Devils.

The pair were able to cause overloads on either flank, draw defenders out wide and also be a presence when arriving late at the back post.

Neither have had many opportunities to impress at Old Trafford, but Rangnick's new system could certainly give both players a new lease of life at United.

High-pressing Ronaldo

When it was revealed that Rangnick was appointed as manager, questions were raised as to how five-time Ballon d'Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo would fit into the German's plans.

However, in just a few days the manager appears to have managed to convert Ronaldo into a high-pressing, aggressive forward.

The Portugal captain didn't shy away from doing the dirty work against the Eagles, and his pressure often forced the opposition into making snap decisions and preventing them from being able to play out from the back.

Ronaldo led the charge to hunt down possession on several occasions which sparked his teammates into life and there was clear signs that Rangnick has given the 36-year-old a clear set of instructions.

Possession-based football returned to Old Trafford

It's been a while since the United faithful have seen a dominant performance at the Theatre of Dreams, but against Palace, there was a sign that it may return.

The Red Devils enjoyed 61% of possession overall and played with a new sense of intensity, wanting to keep the ball as high up the pitch as possible rather than killing the clock with deep, passive football.

Rangnick's set-up also gave no time for Palace to get a true foothold in the game, they were limited to half-hearted counter-attacks and set-pieces, with the best chances they managed to craft being squandered.

Although their tempo slowed in the closing stages, there was a definite change amongst that United squad that fans will be pleased about.

Non-existent Fernandes

The downfall of such a wide, expansive system is that Bruno Fernandes found it very difficult to influence the game.

With Dalot and Telles pressing so high, wingers Jadon Sancho and Marcus Rashford were often forced to come inside which therefore limited the space and time that Fernandes had to craft open chances as defenders were following the pair into midfield.

It was clear that the former Sporting midfielder knew his chances would be limited as he did try to make things tick in the final third but Fernandes didn't look his usual self.

With Donny van de Beek waiting on the wings, the 27-year-old had the chance to make a lasting impression on Rangnick and stake his claim to be one of the first names on the team sheet, but his performance indicates that that may only be the case against deeper, more defensive sides.

Flexible frontline

The downfall of Fernandes was a result of a positive system change for wingers Sancho and Rahford.

The English pair were given a lot of freedom to roam in the final third, sometimes doubling up out wide or swapping flanks mid-attack to drag the opposition defenders out of position and into areas they'd really rather not be.

Sancho played with a newfound confidence against the Eagles and was one of the standout performers, especially in the first half - though his impact dwindles in the second 45 minutes which led to Greenwood coming on to replace him.

Rashford and Sancho are both versatile players who can play anywhere along a front three so Rangnick allowing them to do so without being bound to a certain position could see both flourish.