COMMENT: For the big, big money, that's what you get. You get class. You get a matchwinner. You get Zlatan.
In the end, the big Swede was the difference at Wembley. It wasn't a last minute winner - but it was near enough. And the manner of Zlatan Ibrahimovic's goal said everything about why Jose Mourinho was so insistent on bringing him to Manchester United.
Remember this was a 34 year-old. Inside the final ten minutes on a sunny, sapping day at Wembley. Yet, he managed to not only out-jump Wes Morgan. Yes, Wes Morgan! But also wrong foot for many the best goalkeeper in the country last season, Kasper Schmeichel. In bounced his header, off the far post. Only the big, big money lands you this type of game-changer.
Without Zlatan, United were never going to beat Leicester City on Sunday. In one moment. With that one chance. He was the difference. It was a touch of genuine class that has been missing from United for the past three seasons.
Before then, Ahmed Musa had his chance of glory. At 1-1, the Nigerian found himself with a free, but difficult, header. But he could only nod the ball over David de Gea's crossbar. It was a tough, tough chance. A chance that only a handful of strikers today could convert. One of whom was on the same pitch on Sunday...
That's not to say Musa didn't have his moments. The Nigerian will prove to be one of the signings of the season. Forget N'Golo Kante. He's so last season. This time around, we're all going to be talking more and more about the lad from Jos.
It was Musa's break that led to Jamie Vardy's equaliser. Yes, Marouane Fellaini's back pass was a shocker, but the entire move came from Musa bouncing off a United body - in mid-flight - to surge down the field. In one movement, Foxes fans saw everything there is to Musa's game: courage, power, pace and skill. He's going to light the place up this season.
And he had United creaking on Sunday. No matter how Mourinho dressed it up at the final whistle, there's no escaping how his defence was pulled apart time and again after halftime by the pace of Vardy, Musa and fellow sub Demarai Gray.
Of course, we're talking about the champions. And they should be expected to carve out openings against any team in the country. But the way Leicester's pace exposed United must be a concern for Mourinho. As much as the back four wobbled, Mourinho's midfield were time and again over-run. Fellaini and Michael Carrick simply couldn't live with the leg speed of Leicester.
On Tuesday, Paul Pogba will be unveiled by United. The world's richest transfer. A player to parachute straight into United's engineroom. But he's not Michael Essien. And certainly not Claude Makelele. There's a reason why Juventus awarded Pogba the treasured No10 shirt last season.
He'll win the ball, sure. Power through tackles, of course. But Pogba's strength, at this stage in his career, isn't the defensive side of his game. Indeed, Massimiliano Allegri, the Juve coach, had discussed openly about the Frenchman - long-term - being played off a centre-forward.
At United, Mourinho will play Pogba as hisFrank Lampard. Carrick will be the quarterback. Sitting back. Allowing Pogba to run from deep and be a goal threat. He's not going to be United and Mourinho's answer to Patrick Vieira. Not immediately, anyway.
But what Pogba will give United is greater pace and greater mobility in the middle of the park. Carrick can't get around a pitch like Pogba. Nor Fellaini. And as for Bastian Schweinsteiger...
What's becoming clear is Mourinho is ready to gamble. If indeed he keeps his promise - and with his fourth signing the chequebook is closed - then it's clear he's tearing up the masterplan. This will be the first season he enters without a genuine, experienced general at the back. Nor with a defensive, ball-winning player in midfield.
The system is the same, sure. It's typical Mourinho - 4-3-3. But the personalities filling those positions are very, very different. As is the essence of how he's putting all this together. He's not building from the back. A striker, an attacking inside-forward and a goalscoring midfielder. Plus a young centre-half who's been virtually dubbed a project player. This isn't typical Mou.
Could it be Mourinho is thinking attack will be the best form of defence for his Manchester United this season?
INJURY TIME
Jose Mourinho wanted to get Henrikh Mkhitaryan on the pitch. He wanted the Armenian, even just for a few minutes, to experience Wembley before the final whistle.
But with Leicester swinging in high, long balls at every opportunity, taking off Zlatan Ibrahimovic or Marouane Fellaini just couldn't be considered. That's why Juan Mata was given the hook.
A lot has been made of Mkhitaryan replacing Mata and Mourinho's explanation about wanting to keep his tall timber on.
Of course, if he wanted Mkhitaryan to make a difference in the game then such a substitution would not make sense. But that's NOT why the manager gave the midfielder a late call. He simply wanted Mkhitaryan to get his feet on the Wembley pitch and experience the moment. That's all. It was no silly conspiracy to humiliate Mata.
